Delphi Archaeological Museum

The many finds from both the main archeological sites and around Delphi are displayed at the Archaeological Museum, a few metres away from the entrance to the Sancruary of Apollo.

There are some stunning statues and friezes recovered from the sites; and the almost complete large statues are particularly impressive. The friezes have similar themes to the other temples of Ancient Greece, but are older and it has been interesting to study the contrast in quality. The best example is exhibited with the friezes related to the fight between the giants and the gods - earliest depictions in Delphi, later depicted on the Parthenon but the best is from the Altar of Pergamon (which is also the youngest, at around 300 BC). 

The highlights are definitely the large statues, including the Sphinx, Argos Twins, the philosopher and the Bronze charioteer; all from the Sanctuary of Apollo. The architecture of the museum lets in a lot of natural light, which really enhances the experience.

The only criticism I have is really with the approach. By taking all the major finds away to the museum, some of the context of the size is lost. Thus, the fact that the Sphinx rested on a near 12m column in front of the Temple of Apollo looses the grandeur of the site. I think the Delphi sites should take an approach similar to that of the Acropolis, and put in replicas in the main archeological site - this way the original can be viewed closely and the grandeur and context of the site can be preserved.