Tip of the day – Benaki Museum: an important museum of Athens!
Tip of the day – Benaki Museum: an important museum of Athens! https://thecloudkeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/benaki-museum-athens.jpg 660 349 Cloudkeys https://thecloudkeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/benaki-museum-athens.jpgBenaki Museum, one of the most important museums of Athens, stands as a cultural cornerstone in Athens, offering an extensive journey through Greek history and art from prehistoric times to the modern era. Its diverse collections and dynamic exhibitions provide invaluable insights into the nation’s rich heritage. Save this page at your Favorites to be updated for its current exhibition and plan your next trip to Athens.
Important information: Thursdays at the Benaki Museum on Koumbari Street are among the most delightful summer traditions in Athens. It’s an ideal cultural evening that can easily lead to drinks or dinner in Kolonaki after the museum visit.
MARIA LA CALLAS: The Art of Italian Costume Design in the Film
The exhibition Maria La Callas: The Art of Italian Costume Design in the Film pays tribute to Maria Callas through the visionary costumes created by Massimo Cantini Parrini for the film Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín. The exhibition is curated by the film’s costume designer, the internationally renowned and award-winning Italian costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini, in collaboration with students in Fashion Art Direction at Polimoda, of which he is also an alumnus and mentor.
The exhibition is organized by the Embassy of Italy in Athens and Benaki Museum, under the patronage of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the exhibition portraits costumes as a main feature of cinema and theatre. It honours the genius of Italian costume design, a blending of craftsmanship, research and storytelling, showcasing the legacy of the immortal Diva.
Massimo Cantini Parrini’s approach explores the powerful and multifaceted personality of Maria Callas, focusing on snapshots of pivotal moments in her life and artistic career. Legendary opera costumes coexist with pieces redolent of the glamour of her social life. A vibrant tribute to the captivating identity of “La Divina,” one of the most refined and recognizable divas of the twentieth century, an icon of style and timeless elegance.
Through the “Made in Italy” pieces in the collection, the exhibition reflects on the sociological and cultural evolution of three critical decades in the 20th century (the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s), highlighting Italian ascendancy in the fashion industry.
The exhibition celebrates in Greece the “Italian Fashion Days in the World”.
Opening hours: 27/05/2026 – 13/09/2026
Check here more details and plan a visit in the museum!
Grand Tour
On the occasion of a new collaborative initiative between the British Embassy in Athens and the Benaki Museum, the UK Government Art Collection is delighted to lend seventeen works of art from the British Ambassador’s Residence, to be displayed on a long-term basis, in the Benaki Museum and at The Ghika Gallery. Among the works on display are significant historical and modern works integrated within the permanent display and responding to its thematic hang. Viewed in this context, the works will generate new and surprising encounters, and will emphasise shared histories and the strong cultural and diplomatic ties between the UK and Greece.
One of the highlights of this display is a portrait of Lord Byron by Thomas Phillips. The year 2024 marks the bicentenary of the Philhellene poet’s death and the showing of his portrait is a fitting commemoration of this anniversary. Works by Joseph and Anton Schranz offer an insight into 19th-century Greek islands, while paintings and watercolours by Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika and John Craxton, displayed in the former’s modernist apartment, bring to life the enduring friendship and artistic influences between these two leading artists of the 20th century.
The UK Government Art Collection is a unique cultural resource that promotes British art by placing works in UK Government buildings worldwide. Selected for ministerial offices and diplomatic residences, two thirds of the Collection is on display in nearly every capital city across the world. Over 120 years old and with nearly 15,000 works of art spanning six centuries, the UK Government Art Collection continues to acquire works reflecting the diversity of British society. The Collection is committed to broadening public access and engagement through digital platforms and partnerships across the world.
OPENING HOURS: 05/07/2023 – 23/08/2026
The exhibition also takes place at the Benaki Museum / Ghika Gallery.
Check here more details about the exhibition and plan your visit!
Past exhibition:
Journey from the West to the East – 24/10/2024 to 02/03/2025
LAKIS PAPASTATHIS. In Search of A Lost Picture – 03/04 to 20/07/2025
“ART IN GOLD. Jewellery in Hellenistic Times” – 13/11/ 2024 to 01/06/2025
Africa Amongst us – 13/02/2025 to 25/05/2025
Playgrounds & Toys 2000-2025 – 30/10/2025 to 11/01/2026
Alexis Akrithakis. A Line like a Wave – 12/02/2026 to 24/05/2026
MESSOLONGHI 1826: 200 Years since the Exodus – 18/02/2026 to 03/05/2026
The Outward Gaze. The Photographs of Joan Leigh Fermor – 09/05/2026 – 26/07/2026
Toys in the spotlight – From the Benaki Museum Collection II – 30/04/2026 – 26/07/2026