Applications for studying objects in museum collections or repositories are forwarded by OeAI Athens to the competent Ephorate or the respective museum for approval. Please submit an informal application including your address and that of the relevant authority, and send it to the Director’s Assistant (oeai-athen(at)oeaw.ac.at). Please provide details on the following points:

a) Purpose of the Study

Provide a brief description of your research project and the objective of the planned study.

b) Material

Attach a catalog of the objects with inventory numbers and information on their exhibition or storage location. If inventory numbers are not available, please provide photographs of the individual objects.

If the material has already been published, provide a bibliographic reference (please note that preliminary excavation reports, such as those published in Archaiologiko Deltio or the Praktika of the Archaeological Society, are NOT considered publications). If you wish to examine unpublished material, your application must include written authorization from the excavator.

If the material originates from a project or excavation conducted by another foreign school in Greece, your application must be accompanied by a letter from that school granting permission for the study and/or publication of the material.

c) Proposed Work Schedule

Describe in detail what type of work you intend to carry out with the objects (examination, photography, measurement, drawing, making a squeeze, scanning, etc.) and specify the equipment you will use.

d) Planned Dates for Work

Provide specific dates, e.g., September 2–17, 2025.

Please note that a permit to study objects does not automatically grant permission for their publication. If you wish to publish the results of your study, you must explicitly apply for this and provide the following details:

a) Title | b) Edition | c) Publisher | d) Language(s) of the Publication

Time Needed for Study Permit Processing

The issuance of study permits may take varying lengths of time, ranging from a few weeks to several months. Applicants must therefore submit their applications to OeAI Athens at least two to three months before their planned working period. Permits for the study or publication of unpublished material may take UP TO A YEAR.

A new directive on permits for sampling and analyzing archaeological material came into effect in June 2017. This updated regulation of the Ministry of Culture distinguishes the following categories of applications:

a) Applications for analyses requiring sample extraction.

b) Applications for analyses that do not require sample extraction but involve material damage or interventions.

c) Applications for analyses using non-invasive methods.

d) Applications in all categories involving modern movable or immovable monuments.

You can find the directive in Greek and in English.

In all cases, applications must include the following information and documents:

1. a) The broader framework of the application and the objective of conducting an analysis of the material.

    b) The research institution where the analysis will be carried out, the overseeing laboratory, and the person in charge of the analysis.

2. Written authorization from the person holding the exclusive publication rights to the material.

3. A description of the analytical techniques to be applied. For sample extraction, specify whether the method is destructive or non-destructive. For in situ analyses, indicate whether the method is invasive or non-invasive.

4. For all applications: A comprehensive catalogue of the movable or immovable monuments to be sampled or examined in situ, supplemented by detailed photographic record (where possible, indicate the sampling location).

5. Specific requirements for applications involving sample extraction:

• Total number, dimensions, quantity, and form of samples.
• If necessary, the method of sample preparation and a description of the sampling technique.
• The number and size of samples must be kept to the minimum necessary for analysis.
• Applications involving a high number of samples must be adequately justified based on the total quantity of material.

6. Specific requirements for applications for in situ analyses using invasive or material-damaging methods: You must provide a description of the type and extent of intervention or damage caused to the material.

7. Applications from Bachelor’s or Master’s students must be accompanied by a letter from their supervising professor.

The transport of samples does not require a separate permit. However, the transport of archaeological objects requires a transport permit.

Applicants must complete the application form and send it to the Director’s Assistant (oeai-athen(at)oeaw.ac.at). Please note that the issuance of a permit for sample extractions may take UP TO SIX MONTHS.

For the complete guide, including transport permits, image usage permissions, and other authorizations, please refer to the official documents or contact the relevant authorities.

If you wish to transport archaeological objects for research purposes or for sampling/analysis, you must first obtain the relevant study or analysis permit. After that, you need to submit an application to the relevant Antiquities Authority, including the following details:

• A catalogue of the objects
• The current storage location of the objects
• The destination of the transport
• The exact date and time of transport
• The licence plate of the transport vehicle
• The name and mobile number of the accompanying person(s)

Please complete the relevant application form: 

Application form for permission to take photographs in museums and archaeological sites (English)

Application form for the use of images in printed publications (English)

Application form for the use of images in electronic publications (English)

Application form for the use of images on the internet (English)

Applications must be submitted to the relevant Antiquities Authority. 

Applicants must submit an informal request to the relevant department of the Ministry of Culture for publications (ekdoseis(at)tap.gr). This request must specify the intended use of the requested images and include a list of bibliographical references, stating the illustrations and plates to be used.

Flying drones over archaeological sites and monuments requires authorisation from the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities.

Once this permit has been obtained, an additional application must be submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Please follow the procedure for submitting flight plans and use the relevant form to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority.

The application must include the following documents:

• An official letter from the Head of the Institute or the School Principal, with the university, institute, or school logo.
• A detailed itinerary of the excursion.
• A list of participants, specifying the roles of professors or teachers.
• If seminar presentations are planned, a detailed programme including:
  1. The monuments in front of which the presentations will take place.
  2. The students or pupils who will present.
  3. Details of the time and location of the presentations.

Authorisation is usually granted within two weeks. Presentations in major archaeological sites such as the Acropolis or Delphi could be interpreted as unauthorised guided tours. Therefore, it is recommended to hold them outside the sites or in less crowded areas.

All EU-participants in educational trips, including university and school groups (e.g., secondary schools), have the right to free admission to archaeological sites and museums, regardless of age. This right is automatically granted but should be explicitly mentioned in the application.

Even if free admission is granted by permit, tickets must still be booked for larger sites via the Hellenic Heritage Tickets booking platform. The »Free Admission up to 25 years« option should be selected, as there is no separate category for older participants. So far, this has been accepted without issues.
Time slots are available 1.5 to 2 months in advance and are mandatory, especially during the tourist season (from April onwards). We recommend checking the booking website regularly from mid-February.

• The accompanying documents of the application and the permit must be carried by the excursion leaders (electronic ticket, personal ID).
•  It is advisable to copy us (oeai-athen(at)oeaw.ac.at) in case clarifications with museums or authorities are required. This is particularly relevant for smaller sites, where restrictions may apply due to weather conditions or wildfire risks.

Subject: Application for free admission and authorisation for an educational trip

Dear DAMEEP members,

[As a professor at the University of …, together with Professor … / As a teacher at the X-Gymnasium in Austria], I am organising an educational excursion with [students from the University of Vienna / a school group from the … classes]. From … to …, we plan to visit archaeological sites and museums in various regions/cities of Greece.

We would like to submit the attached documents to request:

1. Free entry for the whole group to the sites and museums.

2. Permission for us, [the professors or teachers], to guide the group [and for the students to give presentations at the sites]. The guided tours [and presentations] are purely educational and do not imply any economic or tourist interest.

Please find attached:

• An official letter from the Head of the Department or the School principal.
• A list of all persons involved in the excursion.
• A document describing the tour.

Thank you very much for considering our request.

Kind regards,

The Greek Ministry of Culture publishes a detailed list of summer opening hours (1 April – 31 October) every year at the end of March.

Summer Opening Hours

Major archaeological sites such as the Acropolis, the Agora, Olympia, or Delphi are usually open from 08:00 to 20:00. Smaller sites generally close earlier (14:00 or 15:00), though variations are possible.

The regulations for archaeological field research in Greece are outlined in the Antiquities Law 4858 of 2021, »On the Protection of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage,« which largely adopts and reinforces the older Antiquities Law 3028 of 2022. The provisions for systematic excavations are presented in Section 4, Chapter A, Paragraph 36.
The regulations for systematic excavations and surveys by foreign archaeological institutes have been further specified by circulars concerning the Antiquities Law from November 27, 2002 (Greek | English) and the Ministerial Decision YΠΠΟΑ/ΑΤΝΕΚΕ/97550/263 (Paragraph 4), ΦΕΚ B' 970/19.3.2018 (Greek | German).

Excavation leaders should demonstrate at least five years of excavation experience and submit two publications focusing on excavations or findings. Additionally, an interdisciplinary composition of the research team and solid professional qualifications of the participants are required. Adequate funding must also be ensured to carry out the excavation and necessary conservation measures.

For excavations, it is generally necessary for the land where the work will take place to be purchased and subsequently transferred into the ownership of the Greek state.
For Greek-Austrian projects (Synergasia), a cooperation agreement must be concluded, which details the allocation of financial burdens as well as the scientific responsibilities and rights of the involved institutions.

Field research projects are approved for a maximum period of five years. After this period, a new application must be submitted. Even for a five-year project, a comprehensive plan must be submitted in advance, covering all campaigns, which must strictly adhere to the project’s time schedule.

Applications for the approval of archaeological field research are subject to review and evaluation by the Central Archaeological Council – KAS (Κεντρικό Αρχαιολογικό Συμβούλιο – KAΣ). According to the provisions of Law 3658/2008 (ΦΕΚ A 70/22.4.2008, Paragraph 4, Section 15 ζ), it is mandatory to submit a detailed cost breakdown for excavation activities and conservation measures along with the application.

Field research activities are limited to a maximum of six weeks per project annually. Scientific post-processing and material studies can take place outside this period, following prior coordination with the responsible Ephorate.

As part of archaeological field research projects, a comprehensive report must be prepared in Greek at the end of each year, along with the application for the following research year. This report should detail the excavation results and the documented finds. It must be submitted to the Ministry by ÖAI Athens no later than November 30, and therefore must be provided in Athens at least one month before that date.

For administrative purposes, reports and applications must be submitted not only in printed form but also in digital format.

A summarized report with the central research results, accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation, must also be submitted to the leadership of the ÖAI Athens branch before the public Annual Report of the Institute.