Discover 2,000 years of Jewish history, culture in heart of Athens (Photos)

The fascinating Jewish museum of Greece was first established in 1977

The fascinating Jewish museum of Greece was first established in 1977 and housed in a small room next to the Athens synagogue. As the museum’s collection grew and its activities expanded, it outgrew its first premises and is now housed in a renovated neo-classical building in the heart of the Greek capital.

Thirty-eight years after its inauguration, the museum has come a long way, as the thorough and careful collection of material from many communities all over Greece has resulted in the creation of a well recognized cultural organization and an innovative center promoting the knowledge and understanding of the Greek-Jewish identity.

An area of 800 square metres houses a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts, including religious and domestic objects that record the history and tradition of Jews in Greece over the past two millennia. Besides the permanent exhibition, there is a temporary exhibition area, a Contemporary Art Gallery, an educational program area, a library, a cloakroom, storage facilities, a photographic archive and laboratory and a conservation lab.

The mission of the museum, as outlined in its official site, has many objectives.

– To collect and exhibit all elements of the history, tradition and culture of the Greek Jewish community.

– To research, study and record the tangible and intangible heritage of the Greek Jews and to communicate such for the purposes of education and enjoyment.

– To introduce visitors of all ages and nationalities to the diversity of the Greek Jewish heritage, in the context of the Greek history.

– To foster cross-cultural understanding among people.

– To promote public dialogue about tolerance and respect for people of all religions, races, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds, using lessons from the Holocaust

Address: Nikis 39, Athens 105 57

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