The Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities participates again this year in celebrating International Museum Day, responding to the invitation by the Greek Department of ICOM and the Directorate of Archaeological Museums, Exhibitions and Educational Programmes of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. The theme of International Museum Day 2022 is “The Power of Museums” and with this choice the International Council of Museums (ICOM) wants to highlight the power of museums as agents of social change and sustainable development

In the spirit of this year’s celebration, the Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities is organizing a small temporary exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Aiani entitled “Copper and Lignite”. For the first time the exhibition will be presenting a set of five copper vessels found during the most recent excavations  in the lignite mine of the Community of Mavropigi of the Municipality of Eordea, the Kozani Region. The aim of the exhibition is to acquaint the general public with the excavation work conducted by the Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities in the lignite mines of the Public Power Cooperation/DEH, as well as the work of scientific documentation and conservation of the artefacts discovered by the excavation. At the same time, the exhibition aims to highlight the role a museum can play as a strategic partner in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,by contributing to the awareness of the environmental and social challenges of our time.

The temporary exhibition will open on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at 11:00, and will run through May 31, 2022. Archaeologists of the Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities will conduct guided tours of both the temporary exhibition and the permanent collection of the Aiani Archaeological Museum.

The exhibition is addressed to the general public as well as to primary and secondary school students. 717 students from 17 Schools of the Kozani Prefecture have already shown an interest. Schools wishing to visit the temporary exhibition and the permanent collection of the Archaeological Museum of Aiani are kindly requested to contact the Kozani Ephorate of Antiquities (tel. 24610 98800, ext. 3 and email [email protected]), to get information  about available dates and times to register in advance ensuring their participation in the tours. More details on the exhibition, the objects exhibited, practical information for  visitors and plenty of photographic material can be found on the website: https://xalkoskailignitis.wordpress.com/

It is noted that on May 18 the entrance is free in all public museums, monuments and archaeological sites. Also during the opening of the exhibition and the guided tours the security measures for Covid-19 will be observed.