New Museum Showcasing Greek Culture Set to Open in Plaka  

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.

Insights Greece - New Museum Showcasing Greek Culture Set to Open in Plaka  

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 

Visiting Athens’ Acropolis Museum

No trip to Athens is complete without a visit to the Acropolis Museum, which has been named one of the Top 10 museums in the world!  

The modern museum is an archaeological site, housing more than 3,000 ancient artefacts from the Athenian Acropolis.

Located in the historical area of Makriyianni, southeast of the Acropolis, the renowned Museum narrates the story of life on the Rock from prehistoric times until the end of Antiquity.  These findings cover a long period- from Mycenaean and Roman times through to the Early Christian periods of Athens.

Insights Greece - Visiting Athens' Acropolis Museum


Having opened its doors in June 2009, architect Bernard Tschumi’s new Acropolis Museum replaced the old Museum on the Rock of the Acropolis. The tailor made building with extensive use of glass ensures breathtaking views of the Acropolis, the surrounding historic hills and the modern city of Athens.

With the benefit of the changing natural light, visitors can discover the delicate surface variations of the sculptures and select the vantage point from which to observe the permanent exhibits.

The exhibits of the Acropolis Museum are presented over four levels. There is also a fifth floor with a wonderful restaurant/cafe boasting uninterrupted views of the Acropolis.

In 2019 the Museum also opened another permanent exhibit: the extensive archaeological excavation site that lies beneath the building. Here parts of an ancient Athenian neighbourhood have been brought to light. Among the ruins you will discover homes, shops, baths, mosaic floors, workshops and a stunning urban villa.

The Museum is ideal for people of all ages and includes activities, talks, guided tours as well as lots of spots to sit back and enjoy some quiet time.

While we all wait to visit again (some for the first time) we can enjoy a virtual tour of the Acropolis Museum right here- Acropolis Museum Virtual Tour.