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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Jewish Museum of Greece Moved to Downtown Athens

The Jewish Museum of Greece in Athens was first established in 1977 and was housed in a small space next to the city’s synagogue. However, the collection started to grow over the years and needed a much larger space in order to be properly exhibited. Now, the museum has acquired a renovated neoclassical building in the heart of Athens, near Syntagma Square. Over the last 38 years, the museum has come a long way. The curators have collected significant cultural items from various communities across the country, creating an important and innovative center for the exploration of the Greek-Jewish identity. According to the museum’s official website, “the new building is of great architectural interest. Only the exterior walls of the existing 19th century building were maintained; the interior was completely rebuilt in order to meet the demands of a modern Museum.” The 800-square-meter space houses more than 8,000 items, including religious and domestic artifacts that record the history and tradition of the Greek Jews. Furthermore, the building will also house temporary exhibitions, a contemporary art gallery, a photographic archive, a conservation laboratory and an educational programs area. As it is mentioned on the official website, the museum aims: 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 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 Greek history; to foster cross-cultural understanding among people and promote public dialogue about tolerance and respect for people of all religions, races, cultures and ethnic backgrounds, using lessons from the Holocaust.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com