On Saturday, May 16, 2026, the central event of the celebration of the International Museum Day took place, which was co-organized by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia and the Greek Department of ICOM.

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia and the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity are the honored museums for Greece for the year 2026.

In the context of this brilliant event, the President of the Greek Section of ICOM, Penny Theologi-Gouti, awarded the relevant distinction for the honored museums of Olympia.

The honorary distinction was received by the Head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia, Erofili-Iris Kollia, and the Secretary General of Contemporary Culture of the Ministry of Culture, Eleni Doundoulakis.

The event was honored with the presence of the General Secretary of Contemporary Culture Eleni Doundoulakis, the Mayor of Ancient Olympia Aristidis Panagiotopoulos, representatives of the local government and agencies, as well as a large number of visitors.

All those present had the opportunity to enjoy an evening dedicated to the culture and the values ​​it stands for.

The event was musically accompanied by the Choir of the Greek Lyceum of Pyrgos, which created a warm and festive atmosphere, while the evening ended with a special tour of the Archaeological Museum of Olympia by archaeologists from the Ephoria.