A museum showcasing modern Greek culture over time is set to open in May 2021 in Athens’ historic Plaka district.
According to Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, the Museum of Modern Greek Culture will feature exhibits that highlight the country’s culture through different periods, with the Minister stressing the importance of the location of the museum, which attracts millions of local and international visitors each year.
The layout of the complex is set around a central courtyard, in a style identical to that of the 19th and early-20th centuries, enabling visitors to experience the atmosphere of urban living in Greece during that period.
The property, which has been recently restored, is situated between Adrianou, Areos, Kladou, and Vrisakiou streets and has architectural remains from classical Greek and Roman antiquity.
The 18 preserved buildings will include the 1759 Tzisdarakis Mosque, which was the first premises of the Museum since its establishment in 1918 until 1973, and The Bath House of the Winds– the only public bath of Athens surviving today.
“The 18 buildings constitute a neighbourhood of Athens, as it was formed in the late 19th to early 20th century. It has very strong features of that period, which are revived through the exhibitions and collections of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture,” says Mendoni.
The nine buildings within the complex house the museum’s permanent installations which include over 25, 000 functional and decorative objects. Dating from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and originating from all geographical areas of Greece, the objects include items used in the home or at work as part of everyday life and traditional customs.
Other permanent exhibits will include folk art, the history of Plaka, and traditional Greek shadow puppet theatre.
The first show to open in May will be dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution as part of the bicentennial Greece 1821-2021 events.
*Source and Images: Museum of Modern Greek Culture
