On the provincial road from Gastouni to the Peneios Dam, very close to the ancient theater of Elis and adjacent to the present-day entrance of the archaeological site, stands the building of the Old Archaeological Collection of Elis. Today, among other uses, it houses a room dedicated to the history of the excavations at Ancient Elis.

The building, enclosed within a courtyard and architecturally inspired by a Hellenistic house with an inner atrium, was constructed between 1976 and 1979. From 1980 until 2004, it safeguarded the invaluable archaeological treasures of Elis. With the construction and opening of the New Archaeological Museum of Elis, the exhibits were transferred there, and the freed space assumed a different role.

Today, the northern hall and the atrium of the building present photographic and archival material that documents the history of the excavations at Ancient Elis. In addition, the inner atrium and the surrounding outdoor areas display large-scale archaeological finds – funerary pithoi, sculptures, column fragments, and architectural members – spanning a broad chronological range from prehistoric to Roman times.

Within the precinct are also facilities for the storage of excavation and conservation equipment, as well as the building of the Ephorate, which originally housed the administrative needs of the research and enhancement project of the archaeological site under the T.D.P.E.A.E. (Committee for the Execution of Works at the Ancient Olympia and Elis Sites). Today, this building also preserves part of the invaluable administrative and photographic archive of Elis, serving as yet another link with the scientific history of excavation research in the area.