First launched a year ago, the endeavor will take three years, during which time 177 sites will receive upgrades such as brochures, better signage and public washrooms. Under the project, 33 museum shops will be reopened, 28 sites will get new vending machines, and ten new washrooms will be installed.
"We found that Greece had one of the lowest rates in return visitors," Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos said in a statement. "Some sites lacked basic services such as information brochures, others had deplorable public health areas, or had shops without items to sell or vendors."
The almost 200 sites will also be rebranded under a single identity: "Monuments and Museums of Greece," which will share a common logo. Currently, the ministry is holding an international competition for design ideas, with prizes ranging from $1,300 to $16,000.