Athens, Greece: Museum Traces the Sweep of Greek History

The National Archaeological Museum in Athens is the single best place on earth to see ancient Greek artifacts. Strolling through the chronologically displayed collection — from 7,000 B.C. to A.D. 500 — is like watching a time-lapse movie of the evolution of art. You’ll go from the stylized figurines of the Cycladic Islands, to the golden artifacts of the Mycenaeans, to the stiff, stoic kouros statues of the Archaic age. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.