Banknote Museum of Ionian Bank
Museum in the historic Ionian Bank building with banknotes and fractional currency notes of the modern Greek state since 1830, with free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Banknote Museum of Ionian Bank is housed in a two-storey neoclassical building in Corfu that was built in 1844. The Ionian Bank bought the plot from the state and commissioned the architect Ioannis Chronis to design and supervise the building. The first branch of the bank operated on the ground floor and the director’s residence was on the upper floor. The museum opened to the public in 1981, and Alpha Bank renovated and restored the building in 2004.
The permanent exhibition covers the history of money in modern Greece over two floors, from the founding of the Greek state in 1830, roughly 180 years of history. The four halls on the first floor display banknotes, fractional currency notes and other related material. On the second floor a permanent multimedia installation, the Coin-o-rama, presents all the coins minted by the modern Greek state in an interactive digital display.
The second floor also hosts temporary exhibitions, conferences and workshops. The museum runs educational programmes for schools and has been a member of the Union of European Printing Museums since 2016. Every Holy Saturday it takes part in the Corfiot custom of the “botides”, when clay pots filled with water are thrown from balconies, including from the museum’s second floor.
Highlights
- Banknotes and fractional currency notes from 1830
- Coin-o-rama: interactive exhibition with all modern Greek coins
- Historic building from 1844 by the architect Ioannis Chronis
- Free admission for everyone
- The custom of the “botides” on Holy Saturday
Permanent exhibition
- Μόνιμη έκθεση: Χαρτονομίσματα και νομίσματα του νεοελληνικού κράτους – Banknotes, fractional currency notes and material from the whole history of money in modern Greece, as well as the interactive Coin-o-rama installation.
- Founded
- 1981
- Operated by
- Alpha Bank – Πολιτισμός Alpha Bank
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|
Admission is free for everyone, both for guided tours of the permanent exhibition and for educational programmes.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum has a lift platform for wheelchairs.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
Educational programmes and activities for pupils, including “Coins and Transactions: From Yesterday to Today” for ages 9–15, and children’s painting competitions.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum offers a free guided tour of the permanent exhibition and the educational programme “Banknote – The Greek Banknote” for primary and lower-secondary school pupils. |
