# Seismic Assessment and Strengthening of a Load-Bearing Masonry Structure Considering SSI Effects
## 2 Case Study  
### Historical Background  
The Archaeological Museum of Lemnos is located in Myrina, on the coastal front of the \"Romeikos Gialos\" area, between the cape of the Meteorological Station and the Castle peninsula (Figure 1). Settlement remains from the Late Neolithic period have been discovered in this area, while the earliest settlement of the \"city\" of Myrina was established on the Castle peninsula during the Early Iron Age. The museum is situated near the prehistoric settlement of Myrina, and together the two sites form an important archaeological complex. Positioned directly adjacent to the Ecclesiastic Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Lemnos, the Myrina Gymnasium (Figure 2), and the Pantelideion Building (formerly the Girls' School), the AML constitutes an integral part of the architectural ensemble of Romeikos Gialos, developed between the 19 th and early 20 th centuries.  
The building was constructed in the late 19 th century to serve as the seat of the Turkish Administration, while the idea of housing the Archaeological Museum was first proposed in the 1930s. The plan, however, was not realized until several years later, following the end of World War II. In 1956, the building was repaired, and the first exhibition of the AML was held in 1961, following the repatriation of the island's archaeological finds, which had been transferred for safekeeping during the war to the Museum of Mytilene (Lesvos) and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Thirty years later, in 1991, a new exhibition was held following additional repair work on the building (Figure 3a).  
Figure 1: Map of the town of Myrina, showing the location of the Archaeological Museum of Lemmos (AML) (Adapted from map data provided by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports—Archaeological Cadastre (www.arxaiologikoktitamatologio.gov.gr, accessed on 5 June 2025).  
Figure 3: Main facade of the Archaeological Museum of Lemmos: (**a**) Repair works carried out in 1991; (**b**) The main facade after the completion of repair works in 2014 (Source: Digital archive of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Lesvos (Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports), used with permission (Prot. No. 252765/16-06-2025)).  
Figure 2: Photograph from 1950. From left to right: the Archaeological Museum of Lemmos, the Gymnasium of Myrina, and the Ecclesiastical Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Lemmos [24].  
In May 2014, the island was struck by a strong earthquake that caused damage to both the museum and its exhibits (Figures 3b and 4). Although the building's repairs were completed in October 2014, it was decided not to reopen the exhibition on the second floor, as the museum required renovation to meet modern museological standards.  
In 2019, the Greek Ministry of Culture approved a project entitled \"Modernization of the Archaeological Museum of Lemnos\". The scope of the project included the strengthening of the building's foundations and stone masonry, floor repairs, replacement of wooden window frames and door frames, application of new coatings, and the installation of a lift for people with disabilities. The re-exhibition of the museum's antiquities is scheduled for summer 2025.