Kalamata Earthquake

On 14 September 1986, a destructive earthquake struck Kalamata.  The museum and most of its exhibits were seriously damaged.  The archaeologists, conservators, and workmen of the 7th Ephorate mounted a titanic effort to pack and transport the exhibits to the Olympia Museum for safekeeping and conservation.

The restoration of the building lasted five years (1988-1992) and was coupled with a redisplay project, which resulted in the inauguration of the exhibition on the ground floor in 1995.  Three years later, the second floor was completed.  The new display, inaugurated in 2000, aims at allowing visitors to approach the artifacts through comprehensive thematic units, while conveying information about their use and significance.  By using ample visual material (maps, photographs, models, reconstructions), visitors gain a better understanding of various aspects of the civilization that flourished in Messenia for centuries.

For many years, the Archaeological Service has been carrying out restoration work at various buildings of the castle.