Until recently, most state-run museums in Greece were Spartan. Despite the treasures contained within, most lacked the basics, like modern ventilation systems – let alone high-tech amenities. Now, as many museums are being renovated for this summer’s Athens Olympics , a programme is underway to equip them with the advanced technologies and services found in similar establishments around the world.

The Hellenic Culture Organisation is preparing multimedia displays, audio-visual guides and info kiosks for the 50 most important museums and sites. The organisation is also developing a new ticket sales system and gift shop network while improving Greek culture's virtual presence via websites and DVD-ROMs.

The said state-run organisation actually is the culture ministry institution behind the better-known Cultural Olympiad. But while its Cultural Olympiad has a shelf-date, the Hellenic Culture Organisation has a longer-term mission: to update the cultural image of Greece for the 12 million tourists it receives annually.

Andreas Vougoyannopoulos, head of the organisation's digital technologies branch, explains that they have 23 projects underway, employing over 300 people. The endeavours fall under the government's Information Society programme and are expected to cost 47 million euros, 75% of which will be covered by EU's European Regional Development Fund . 2006 is the expected completion date for the project.

Electronic guides
By the summer of 2005, one major innovation will be in place: 4,800 portable audio-visual guides will be available at fifteen of Greece's most popular museums/sites. Audio devices (lacking in Greek museums until now) will aid the visually-impaired, while electronic image and sound guides, available in at least four languages, will direct visitors through exhibits at venues like Thessaloniki's Museum of Byzantine Culture or the Minoan palace at Knossos .

During the same period, interactive info kiosks will be installed at another 35 sites countrywide. The final stage of the international bidding process for these projects is now underway; it is estimated to cost some 18 million euros.

The Hellenic Culture Organisation is also planning to offer another important service for tourists: an electronic ticket sales system for museums and archaeological sites. In the near future, potential visitors will be able to buy tickets for the most important attractions in advance, either at self-service sales points or via the Internet.

These are just some of the conveniences that will appear at the massive list of sites being upgraded for the Olympics. Renovations are underway everywhere, from Athens' National Archaeological Museum and Agora Museum (Attalos Arcade) to its Byzantine and Christian Museum . Other major archaeological museums getting revamped include those in Olympia , Thessaloniki , Delphi , Iraklio and Naflplio – to name just a few.

Culture's virtual presence
The Hellenic Culture Organisation is also preparing DVD-ROMs of the 15 most-visited museums and archaeological sites, such as the Acropolis (undergoing long-term restoration work), the religious hub Mount Athos and the Byzantine ghost-citadel of Mystras. Most of the material for this 4-language project has been compiled and the DVD-ROMs will be ready for instalment on virtual visitors' computers in a year. The DVD-ROMs will include original video footage from each of the sites.

Another much anticipated project entails upgrading the culture ministry's website . The 1995 Odysseus site needs a major overhaul in order to satisfy its 15,000 visitors a day, notes Vougoyannopoulos. It too will be offered in four languages. The organisation has already created a unanimously praised Culture Guide to Greece's busy cultural schedule. A longer-term task will be to create a virtual museum of Greek culture on the Internet. Also in the works are a multimedia exhibit on the history of the Olympic Games for the Archaeological Museum of Olympia by late 2004 and an exhibit on Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki at a later date.

Gift shops, catalogues and replicas
Not only is the Hellenic Culture Organisation's mission a cultural one, it is also about good business. The idea is that visitors will pay for the amenities and high-tech items that they increasingly demand.

One project already bearing fruit – and providing a welcome alternative to dusty, old souvenir shops – involves selling antiquity replicas at 7-8 major Greek sites. The first two catalogues and sales-points have already been launched at Vergina and the Athens Acropolis. Olympia, Mycinae, Epidaurus (or Epidavros) , Knossos, Delphi and Delos should have such catalogues soon. By next year, these items – tailored to all spending levels – will also be sold online.