The Mycenaean Foundation is dedicated to discover, preserve, and teach, thus bridging the past with the future, culture with nature, research with education with a strong focus on interdisciplinary and international collaboration.
The MELATHRON Center of the Mycenaean Foundation is located at Mycenae, in the northeastern Peloponnese, approximately 140 km (two-hour drive) from Athens, the capital city of Greece. The campus of the Center extends over three acres of land atop a hill at Mycenae overlooking onto the Argolic Plain and Gulf, with a breathtaking rear view to the Mycenaean citadel of Agamemnon. The stone buildings of the Center (‘Melathron’ and ‘McCarthy House’), property of the Mycenaean Foundation, were built in 1967-1972 by the late Professor G. Mylonas to serve as the summer base of operations for the archaeologists and students of the Mycenae excavation team, and as an archaeology research center for Greek and foreign scholars.
The Melathron has been recently restored to its former glory. The buildings comprise 9,000 sq.ft. of living and work space, classrooms, offices, labs, computer rooms, the Wiener library and ceremonial Grand Hall, a central atrium surrounded by porticos, an open-air theatrical area on the hill slope suitable for classes and performances, as well as a unique, one-acre outdoor dig simulator for field training (currently under construction).