Greece’s much-loved August full moon celebrations return this year, with the Ministry of Culture announcing a nationwide programme of evening events at archaeological sites, museums, monuments, and historic landmarks. On Saturday, August 9, 2025, 114 locations will welcome visitors under the moonlight, with 71 hosting special cultural activities and around 44 remaining open for free evening entry.
Coordinated by the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, the events range from theatrical performances and music-dance shows to stargazing sessions, myth-telling, and guided tours. Many are organised in collaboration with municipalities and local cultural associations.
In the meantime those who are still in Athens on Saturday and wish for some privacy as they admire this August’s full moon, alone or with their prefered company, can find numerous open-air locations explained in detail in this article, spanning parks, hills, nearby beaches.
Full moon at the National Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens will open from 20:00 to midnight with free admission. Archaeologists will lead small-group tours focusing on selected exhibits:
- Stories of Radiance and Mystery in Prehistory: Gold and Amber Differently (Dr Konstantinos Nikolentzos) – 20:00 to 21:00, 20 participants.
- The Phases of the Moon in Neolithic Societies (Dr Aikaterini (Katia) Manteli) – 21:15 to 22:00, 20 participants.
- Historical Walk Around the Museum: Two Centuries in One City Location (Dr Konstantinos Paschalidis) – 20:30 to 22:00, open participation.
Pre-registration is required for some sessions, and last entry to the museum will be at 23:45.
Acropolis Museum – Extended Hours and Special Exhibitions
The Acropolis Museum will operate from 09:00 to midnight this Saturday , offering visitors the chance to explore its permanent galleries, the archaeological excavation site, and enjoy panoramic views of the Acropolis by moonlight.
Special highlights include:
- Water Routes: From Nature to Myth and the City – thematic presentation at 11:00 (in Greek, 90 minutes, up to 30 visitors, booking required).
- Allspice – Michael Rakowitz and Ancient Cultures – a temporary exhibition exploring cultural heritage, loss, and survival, blending ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean artefacts with contemporary works by the Iraqi-American artist. A free guided tour will take place at 18:00 (in Greek, booking required).
The museum’s second-floor restaurant will be open until midnight, with reservations recommended.
Other Athens Events
Additional moonlit events in Athens include a music performance at the Church of Saint George in Galatsi (21:00), a staging of Medea Exodus at the Amphiareion of Oropos (20:30), and a concert in the garden of the Numismatic Museum (21:00). The Ancient Theatre of Zea, Plato’s Academy, and the Western Hills will remain open to the public 24 hours.
Full Moon at the SNFCC and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean Marathon
The Full Moon Sleepover returns for the third time this summer at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), offering free admission to everyone.
On Saturday, August 9, at 21:00, under the light of the Sturgeon Moon, Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew take over the big screen set up at the Great Lawn of the Stavros Niarchos Park, inviting audiences on an all-night journey across the most epic seas in cinema: cursed ships, lost treasures, action, mystery, and… dark humor in a movie marathon featuring the first three films of Disney’s beloved Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
The Screenings Programme
21:00 – Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Director: Gore Verbinski
Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
The roguish yet charming life of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow takes a turn when his cunning nemesis, Captain Barbossa, steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks Port Royal, kidnapping the governor’s beautiful daughter, Elizabeth. In a heroic bid to save her and reclaim the Pearl, Elizabeth’s childhood friend Will Turner joins forces with Jack — unaware that Barbossa and his crew are cursed by a legendary treasure to live forever as the undead.
23:30 – Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Director: Gore Verbinski
Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Captain Jack Sparrow has a debt to pay: his soul belongs to the fearsome Davy Jones — unless he can cheat death and eternal damnation by seizing the fabled Dead Man’s Chest. Terror rises from the deep as the monstrous Kraken emerges to splinter planks, crush hulls, and shatter bones.
02:10 – Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Director: Gore Verbinski
Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Just when he’s needed most, witty and sly Captain Jack Sparrow is trapped in Davy Jones’s Locker — a desolate sea of sand. In a fragile alliance, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Captain Barbossa set out on a desperate quest to find and rescue him. Why? Jack is the last of the Nine Pirate Lords who must unite in one final stand to preserve their free-spirited way of life.
Full Moon Film Marathon – Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean
Saturday, August 9, from 21:00
Stavros Niarchos Park, SNFCC – Syngrou Avenue 364, Kallithea
Free admission
The Full Moon Sleepover is sponsored by Aperol.
Major Donor of the SNFCC: Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
