Benaki Museum

That’s the Story of Benaki Museum

The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture is housed in one of the most beautiful neoclassical-style buildings in Athens, near the National Garden and the Hellenic Parliament. It was converted into a museum in order to shelter the collections of Antonis Benakis and was donated to the Greek nation by himself and his three sisters, Alexandra, Penelope and Argine. Following its refurbishment (1989–2000), the building houses a unique exhibition on Greek culture arranged diachronically from prehistory to the 20th century.

Galleries 33-36 on the third floor of the permanent exhibition refreshed and enriched with new exhibits, tell the story of modern Greece from the years just before the Greek Revolution to the Second World War.

A modest edifice was the original core of the building complex. The first enlargement, including substantial alterations, was designed by Anastasios Metaxas in 1911 after the building was purchased by Emmanuel Benakis, Antonis’s father. Additions included an external staircase and a Doric porch in marble leading up to the Vass. Sofias Ave. entrance front as well as the main façade ornamentations. The next extension was done in 1930 with the aim to convert the building into a museum housing Antonis Benakis’s Greek and Islamic art collections as well as a collection of Chinese ceramics. Further extensions in 1965, 1968 and 1973 proved necessary for accommodating the ever-expanding body of donations. After its 1989–2000 expansion and remodelling, the building houses the Benaki Museum collection of Greek art and material culture, the ‘Spyridon & Eurydice Costopoulos Gallery’ for temporary exhibitions, the Library and various museum operations and offices.

1895

The initial core is erected of the Benaki building complex, known as the Harokopos Mansion, a simpler structure than the present-day one.

1910

The building is purchased by Emmanuel Benakis in anticipation of his family’s definitive move from Alexandria to Athens.

1911

The building is enlarged with the addition of a ballroom and some necessary auxiliary areas (architect: Anastasios Metaxas, who had designed the restoration of the Panathenaic Stadium).

1930

Conversion of the building from a residence into a museum, and to ensure that it would meet the specifications for a Museum, an additional wing was added beside the ballroom (architect: Anastasios Metaxas).

1965

The exhibition areas were enlarged in order to house the historic artifacts of Eleftherios Venizelos in the basement and the collection of Damianos Kyriazis on the first floor (architect: Emmanuel Vourekas).

1968

Further extension of the building to accommodate the exhibition of the major donation by Eleni Stathatou in the basement (architect: Emmanuel Vourekas).

1973

The Stamatios Dekozis-Vouros Foundation financed the addition of a new wing, with halls for lectures, temporary exhibitions and a snack bar (architect: Emmanuel Vourekas).

1989

The large-scale enlargement of the building complex began on the north side of the lot with the addition of a new wing with three basements and five floors, at the level of and over the additions of 1968 and 1973 (architects: Alekos and Stephanos Kalligas).

1997

Completion of the project to enlarge the building, doubling the usable Museum space (7000 m²) which, in addition to the two storage basements in the new wing, is distributed over five unified internal levels.

2000

Reopening of the Museum with the new exhibition of the Greek Collections that was officially opened on 7th June by the President of the Republic Constantinos Stephanopoulos.

DONORS

From the very first, the life work of Antonis Benakis met with the whole-hearted support of the Greek public. Well-known collectors, as well as all those who wished to see the past preserved, donated precious works of art to the Museum: family heirlooms, rare books, manuscripts and historical archives, and other important private possessions. In this way they helped to supplement the collections and to ensure the future of the Museum.

The individuals who have bequeathed considerable property to the Museum are in the front ranks of its benefactors; they include Konstantinos Benakis, Eleni Efkleidou, Regina Doanidou, Vera Kouloura, Ismini Petropoulou, Lambros Eftaxias, Alexandra Papadopoulou, Maria Aiyialeidi, Eumenis Lambridis, Fifi Stylianidou, Maria Spentsa, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas, Mary Carolou and Georgios Koniaris, Yiannis and Alekos Pappas, Alexandros Argyriou, Sir Patrick and Joan Leigh Fermor, as well as the Stamatios Dekozis-Vouros, J.F. Costopoulos and Stavros Niarchos Foundations, whose financial support has enabled the Museum to expand its exhibition space considerably.

Among the major donors are Alexandra Choremi, George Eumorfopoulos, Christianos Lambikis, Helen Stathatou, Damianos Kyriazis, Demetrios Sicilianos, Marina Lappa-Diomidous, Argini Salvagou, Rena Andreadi, Loukas Benakis, Voula Papaioannou, Stephen Vagliano, Peggy Zoumboulaki, Elli Seraidari (Nelly’s), Chrysoula Xanthoudidou-Koundourou, Sophia Chrysochoidou-Lambridi, Ioanna Loverdou-Vasileiadi, Litsa Papaspyrou, Maria Argyriadi, and countless others whose names are respectfully recorded on the labels accompanying the exhibits. Substantial benefactions have likewise been received from foundations bearing the names of: Eleftherios Venizelos, Panayotis and Effie Michelis, Alexandros S. Onassis, Lilian Voudouris, A.G. Leventis and John S. Latsis and from banking institutions such as Citibank, the National, Commercial and Ionian Banks, Ergobank, Alpha Bank and the Midland Bank.

The citing of these names in no way overshadows the contributions of many other donors who almost daily continue to enrich the Museum in a truly moving manner.

The activities of the ‘Friends of the Benaki Museum’ and of the Committee responsible for the production and marketing of articles sold through the Museum Shop constitute an important contribution to the Museum’s work.