Jewish Museum of Greece
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The Jewish Museum of Greece was founded in 1977 in order to collect, conserve, research and exhibit the material evidence of 2,300 years of Jewish life in Greece. Being a historical and ethnographic museum, the focus of its attention lies in the presentation of a vivid picture of Jewish history and tradition throughout this period.
Its collection, which is constantly being augmented, consists of seven and a half thousand original artifacts, photographs, documents and archives, and includes diverse material pertaining to the domestic and religious life, as well as the historical course of the Greek Jews.
The new building of the Museum houses its rich collection and infrastructure for the organizational needs and the visitor services it provides in a total area of 800 sq.m. The entire floor space of the museum has been organized in areas for permanent exhibition of the Museum’s collection with thematic modular exhibits, for periodic exhibitions, a contemporary art gallery, a video room. It also includes an area for educational programs, a research library, a photographic archive and laboratory, a conservation laboratory and a gift shop.
The permanent exhibition illustrates subject areas such as the synagogue and religious artifacts, the Jewish holidays, traditional costumes, the Holocaust, the cycle of life and the history of Greek Jews. Particular attention is paid to the Museum’s educational role, especially with regard to intercultural education and programs for children and young people.
The Museum also organizes periodic exhibitions and events with subjects related to contemporary art, literature, poetry and music, in general every form of human expression, with a view to covering cultural and artistic matters. In addition to presenting a vivid picture of the past, the Museum aims to explore the timeless, multi-faceted nature of Greek Jewry. As a centre for exploration, familiarization and positive dialogue between memory and history, between individual and collective identity, it aspires to be an active cultural hive, strengthening the community spirit and the feeling of continuity.