Construction of the new Cyprus Archaeological Museum, located opposite the House of Representatives, faces a delay of approximately 13 months, assuming no further unforeseen complications arise.
Work was initially scheduled for completion by 9 July 2026 under the original 42-month timeline, which began on 9 January 2023. However, cumulative delays led the contractor to request an extension. Following negotiations, the revised contractual completion date was set for 16 November 2026, granting an approved extension of roughly 120 days. The contractor had previously requested a 500-day extension.
Despite the November 2026 contractual deadline, project contractor Kyriakos Chrysochos indicated during a parliamentary site visit on 19 March 2026 that the project is targeted for completion in December 2027. This timeline requires an additional 410 days beyond the current officially approved extension. Representatives of the contractor reaffirmed the December 2027 delivery date to reporters during a recent site visit.
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works has been questioned regarding the December 2027 timeline, particularly since construction has yet to begin on one of the building’s three main structures. The ministry has not officially adopted the contractor’s timeline, stating that according to the contractor’s revised schedule, work will finish at the end of 2027, subject to unforeseen events that cannot be assessed in advance.
The ministry added that while the current approved contractual completion date remains 16 November 2026, additional extension requests submitted by the contractor are still under evaluation.
The original contract for the project stands at €120,944,720 plus VAT, bringing the initial total to €143,924,217. The ministry’s responses did not specify the financial value of the contractor’s outstanding claims, noting that the exact final cost will be determined upon completion of the project. Unauthorized delivery delays carry a contractual penalty of €5,000 for each calendar day.
Responsibility for opening the museum to the public rests with the Department of Antiquities, under the Deputy Ministry of Culture, which will oversee the relocation of artifacts and the preparation of permanent exhibitions. Current schedules dictate that the museum will require 18 months to become operational after the contractor hands over the building. Consequently, if delivery occurs in December 2027, the museum is expected to open its doors in July 2029.
According to a document provided to MPs on 19 March 2026 detailing the initial 118-day extension, the contractor has four additional extension requests pending evaluation, five requests in the first stage of assessment, and has issued five notices of intent to submit further claims.
The contractor’s claims for justified delays relate to industry strikes, design modifications including additional structural supports, and work stoppages ordered by the Department of Labour Inspection due to high temperatures. Further delays were attributed to the discovery of large concrete masses from the British colonial era during initial excavation works.