Acropolis museum artifacts to be moved

ATHENS, Greece, May 30 (UPI) -- The painstaking transfer of artifacts from a small museum atop the Acropolis in central Athens to their new, state-of-the-art home will begin in the fall.

Archaeology service officials said 340 priceless artifacts, already loaded into metallic crates, will be lowered 1,312 feet by three construction cranes to the new Acropolis Museum, a modern glass-and-steel structure facing the hill's south side, the Athens News Agency reported Tuesday.

The operation is expected to last until the end of the year, officials said. The new museum is to open in early 2008.

Exhibits housed in the current museum will be joined by many other pieces that were kept in various museum warehouses because of insufficient exhibition space.

Greek Culture Minister George Voulgarakis said the operation would cost about $3.4 million.