Museum at the Archaeological site of Eleftherna

Approval has been given for the construction of a museum on the archaeological site of Eleftherna, Rethymnon, by the Directorate of Museums, Exhibitions and Educational Programmes of the Ministry of Culture after a study by archaeologist Professor Nikolaos Stampolidis.

The very first museum on an archaelogical site in Crete may be implemented within 20 months if there are no bureaucratic delays from the Cretan prefecture, which is to give the final approval and hire contractors for the plan with a 3 million Euro grant from NSRF

Professor Nikos Stampolidis is aiming for the museum to be completed by the autumn of 2012 at the latest. The project will display exhibits over a total area of 1630 square meters, of which approximately 900 square meters will be a terraced floor and 730 square meters a basement / storage areas.

Professor Stampolidis says "Eleftherna is a magical place with a special aura and with the construction of the museum the Elefthernaion Grove will be complete; an archaeological park measuring 2.5km x 1.5 km between hills and valleys, ravines and rivers, a grove with unique natural beauty.
Translated from Nea TV / cretalive.gr

Eleftherna

For a quarter century, Greek excavation director Nicholas Stampolidis and his dedicated team have been unearthing the untold stories of the people buried some 2,800 years ago in the necropolis of Orthi Petra at Eleutherna on Crete.
Two unprecedented discoveries have been made here since 2007--three lavish jar burials that contained the remains of a dozen related female individuals and, in 2009, a monumental funerary building where a high priestess and her protégés, also all related, were laid to rest…
Extract from Archaeology.Org. Read the whole article here