Benaki Museum, Major cultural museum in Kolonaki district, Athens, Greece
The Benaki Museum is a cultural museum in the Kolonaki district of Athens with several floors in a former mansion. The collection ranges from prehistoric finds through Byzantine icons to paintings and textiles from the period after Greek independence.
Antonis Benakis handed over his family house and his extensive collection to the Greek state in 1931. The holdings grew further after the Second World War through donations and purchases.
The museum founder Antonis Benakis collected his objects during his time in Egypt and brought them back to Greece. Visitors today see the family's personal living rooms alongside exhibition halls with furniture and paintings from the early twentieth century.
The main entrance is located on Koumbari Street and can be reached from Syntagma metro station within a few minutes on foot. The building has lifts and toilets on several floors.
The rooftop terrace with café offers a view over the surrounding roofs up to the Acropolis. On some evenings small events and lectures are organized here.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
