Visit the Goulandris Museum in Athens
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Athens, Greece is a city that is dominated by 5th century BC landmarks. The city is rich in history that should be explored by anyone visiting. Whether you enjoy archaeological sites, temples, monasteries, or museums, you’ll find it here. A visit to Athens wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Goulandris Museum.
Getting to Athens is possible by plane, ferry, train, or car. Once in Athens, you will find the main building of the Goulandris Museum where the permanent collections are kept on Neophytou Douka Street. The temporary exhibitions are at Vasilissis Sofias Avenue & Irodotou Street.
Here’s all you should know about the Goulandris Museum in Athens, Greece.
About the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art
The Goulandris Museum was established in 1986 to house the Cycladic and Ancient Greek art that was collected by Dolly and Nicholas Goulandris starting in the 1960s. The couple had a special interest in prehistoric art of the Cyclades and Aegean Sea. The main building of the museum was designed by Greek architect Ioannis Vikelas. In 1991, the museum would expand with the neo-classical Stathatos Mansion.
In addition to the permanent exhibits at the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art, there have been a number of temporary exhibits throughout the years. Some of these temporary exhibits have included: Salvador Dali – Myth and Singularity; El Greco – El Greco and His Workshop; Louise Bourgeois – Personages; Ugo Rondinone – Nude; and Paul Chan – Odysseus and the Bathers. Temporary exhibits showcase both important Greek and international modern and contemporary artists.
The Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art is dedicated to the study and promotion of ancient cultures of Cyprus and the Aegean Sea. There is a special focus on Cycladic art of the 3rd millennium BC. Since the original donations of Dolly and Nicholas Goulandris, the collection has grown either through other donations or purchases.
Visit the Goulandris Museum
A visit to the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art will not disappoint. The museum houses one of the most complete collections of Cycladic art in the world. This culture flourished during the Early Bronze Age (3rd millenium BC).
The Cycladic art collection showcases a dove bowl made from marble, a sprouted bowl made from marble, a marble torso of a flute player, and part of a seated figure made of steatite and much more from the early Cycladic II – Syros phase.
From the Cypriot culture you will see a pair of gold earrings from the early Byzantine times, a glass jug from the 2nd century AD, an Athena finger ring made of gold and carnelian from the 1st century AD, a glass juglet from the 1st century AD to name a few.
The Ancient Greek art collection includes jugs, flasks, grave steles, amphoriskos, statues and figurines, and more. The Goulandris Museum is an ideal place for the entire family as each weekend there is storytelling, art workshops, music, and interactive tours for children to help expose them to the museum and its art.
When in Athens, be sure to see the Goulandris Museum. You won’t be disappointed!
Categorized in: About Athens, Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
