Christopher Hitchens on the Acropolis Museum

Among the first to visit Greece’s new Acropolis Museum, devoted to the Parthenon and other temples, the author reviews the origins of a gloriously “right” structure (part of a fifth-century-b.c. stimulus plan) and the continuing outrage that half its façade is still in London.

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British Museum scrambles for new excuse to keep Elgin Marbles

The English have a long and proud history of storing other peoples stones, just ask the Scots. They waited 700 years to get theirs back.

I can understand the British reluctance to return them. It will be that last symbolic piece of the plunder of Empire, gone forever. The Sun will Finally Set...

The museum has long argued that Greece has no proper place to put them - an argument the Greek government hopes the Acropolis Museum addresses.

Don't worry, the Brits will come up with a new one, and soon...

"I think they belong to all of us - we are all global citizens these days," [British Museum] spokeswoman Hannah Boulton said.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Fair enough, then I assume the Greeks have rights to the Crown Jewels now...?

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Unlocking Mysteries of the Parthenon

During the past 2,500 years, the Parthenon—the apotheosis of ancient Greek architecture—has been rocked by earthquakes, set on fire, shattered by exploding gunpowder, looted for its stunning sculptures and defaced by misguided preservation efforts. Amazingly, the ancient Athenians built the Parthenon in just eight or nine years. Repairing it is taking a bit longer.

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