Athens—thenamebringstomindbuildingswithtall.whitecolumnsandstatuesofGreekgodsandgoddesses.MuseumstakevisitorsbacktothetimeofancientGreece.Whenvisitingthecity，visitorsfeellikethey’
reinthemiddleofahistorylesson.AthensgavebirthtoWesternculture.ThisiswheretheWest’Sideasofgovernment，law，jusficeandlibertyallbegan.Architecture，science，dramaandpoetryalsoflourishedhere.ThehistoryofAthensistiedtomythology.Thegodthatcameupwiththemostvaluablelegacyforhumanswastogivethecityitsname.PoseidonandAthenaeachwantedthehonor.Athenaproducedanolivetree——thesymbolofpeaceandwealth.Poseidonofferedas~onghorseneededforwar.ThegodsdecidedAthena’Sgiftwouldbeuerservethepeople，andthecitybecameknownasAthens.TheAcropolis，or“highcity，”standsonahilloverlookingthecity.Westerncivilization’SmostimportantancientmonumentwasbuiltbyPericles，theleaderofAthensfrom461—429B.C.HesparednoexpensewhenheconstructedthebuildingsoftheAcropolis.Heusedonlythebestmaterials，architectsandartists.Hisartistscreatedhugestatuesofmarbleandcoveredthemwithgoldandjewels.Sadly，onlyruinsremainofthis“highcity”oftemples.MoretreasureofancientGreecelies~intheNationalArcheologicalpenedin1874,memuseumcntainsbestcdlecti。nofGreekartintheworld.Itiscrammedwithtreasures—morethanvisitorscanseeinasinglevisit.Visitorscanviewtreasuresfromalltheancientcivilizationsthatcontrolledthecitythroughouthistory.Thevases，stat.ues，carvingsandotherartobjectsshowthelifeofthosewholivedina.gespast.ButavisittoAthensismorethanalessoninancienthistory.Mod。