National Historical Museum

About the museum

The National Historical Museum was founded in 1884 by the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece, which had been established two years earlier and had begun collecting historical material. The core of the collections consisted of objects donated by families of fighters of 1821 and by ministries, following a public exhibition of monuments of the Holy Struggle.

For more than fifty years the museum operated in rooms of the Polytechnic and was enriched with consignments from Greek-speaking regions such as Macedonia, Epirus, Asia Minor, Constantinople and Alexandria. Before the Second World War the objects were packed and hidden for protection, and in the early 1960s the museum was permanently housed in the Old Parliament building on Stadiou Street.

The collections cover modern Greek history, from the periods of Ottoman and Frankish rule to the Greek War of Independence (1821), the struggles for independence, the establishment of the independent state and later political, social and cultural developments. In 1979 Pantelis Koundouriotis bequeathed to the Society the family mansion on Hydra, which has operated as a branch of the museum since 2001.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition in numbered rooms 2–19, from 1453 to the Second World War
• Weapons and objects from the War of Independence of 1821
• Traditional costumes and folklore collections
• Rooms on the reign of Otto and George I
• Housed in the former Old Parliament building
• Historic house of Lazaros Koundouriotis on Hydra

Permanent exhibition

• Μόνιμη έκθεση – A chronological journey through Greek history from the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Second World War, with sections on Ottoman rule, the Greek War of Independence (1821), the new state, the Balkan Wars and popular life.

Founded

1884

Operated by

Ιστορική και Εθνολογική Εταιρεία της Ελλάδος

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every first Sunday of the month from November to February, 25 March, 18 May and 28 October.

Free admission is also granted to large families with a card, unemployed people with a DYPA card, employees of the Ministry of Culture, holders of the museum's free admission card, members of ICOM and journalists.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The permanent and temporary exhibitions are accessible by lift. Visitors with visual impairments can take a tour of the permanent exhibition, touch selected exhibits, take part in a tactile workshop and receive a leaflet in Braille and large print.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Educational programmes and workshops for schools, educational material, digital games and a family programme titled “The Struggle of '21 Through the Eyes of Little Nikitas”.

Getting there & parking

The museum is housed in the Old Parliament building, on Kolokotronis Square.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Shop open during visiting hours.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit