Greece’s Museums Open with Free Admission on May 18

Acropolis Museum in Athens. Photo © Maria Theofanopoulou

Museums across Greece on Saturday, May 18, will celebrate the International Museum Day 2019, with free admission and a number of cultural events for all, under the theme “Museums as cultural hubs: The future of tradition”.

The War Museum of Trikala is among the organizations participating in the 2019 International Museum Day events.

Initiated in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the aim of International Museum Day is to raise awareness on the fact that museums are an important means of cultural exchange.

This year’s theme focuses on the role of museums in society.

“Museums keep reinventing themselves in their quest for becoming more interactive, audience focused, community oriented, flexible, adaptable and mobile.

They have become cultural hubs functioning as platforms where creativity combines with knowledge and where visitors can also co-create, share and interact,” ICOM said in an announcement.

PIOP is the honored organization in Greece for 2019

The Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP) is the honored organization for the International Museum Day 2019.

The foundation was established in 2009 with the aim to support the preservation of Greece’s cultural heritage, and promote the connection of culture with the environment.

The Silversmithing Museum, Ioannina. Photo: © PIOP

The PIOP network of museums currently includes:

• The Silk Museum in Soufli,
• The Museum of Marble Crafts on Tinos,
• The Open-air Water Power Museum in Dimitsana,
• The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparti,
• The Museum of Industrial Olive Oil Production on Lesvos,
• The Chios Mastic Museum,
• The Rooftile and Brickworks Museum – N. & S. Tsalapatas in Volos.

For a complete list of all the museums in Greece that offer free admission on May 18 (in Greek), press here.

European Night of Museums 2019

Since 2011, ICOM has been sponsoring the European Night of Museums.

This year, the European Night of Museums will be held during the night of 18 to 19 May 2019.

Created in 2005 by the French Ministry for Culture and Communication, the event inspires museums to open their doors to the public until 1am and free of charge. By welcoming the public at night, museums provide visitors with a new perspective on their collections, applying a more creative and sensory approach.