Location: Athens
Top Things to do in Athens
What to do and see in Athens, Attica: The Best Art Museums
Once known for smog, traffic and tacky architecture, Athens is a city reformed thanks to fortunes brought by the 2004 Summer Olympics. Spotless parks and streets, an ultra-modern subway, new freeways, an accessible airport and all signs in perfect English make the city easily negotiable. Meriting more than a stopover en route to the islands, sophisticated Athens sites include many pillars of Western history, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, as well as treasures in the National Archaeological Museum.
Restaurants in Athens
1. Pandora Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 90 reviews
Pandora Art Gallery operates since 1975, in the old town of Plaka under the shadow of the Athens Acropolis, serving International clients who travel to Greece for tourism or business from across the globe. All Art items as Paintings, sculptures and ceramics are well crated in wooden boxes, certified by the National Gallery of Greece, insured and delivered door to door via UPS.
Reviewed By 213kashifh
Absolutely loved the place. As soon as walked in overwhelmed by the paintings on display. Unfortunately, one cannot take photographs in the gallery. Great art work by artists. I could have sat there all day spellbound by some of the artwork. A must see when visiting the area even if one can only dream of buying as prices are quite high!
2. Roma Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Roma Gallery is a Greek art gallery with an international program devoted to postwar and contemporary art. Roma Gallery specializes in private sales in the secondary market of prominent 20th Century artists. The gallery collaborates with several American and European artists, galleries and foundations. It is committed to promoting new, innovative talents as well as advancing the legacies of artists by working closely with their families, foundations and estates. Roma Gallery is focused on embracing new generations of collectors, curators and audiences by selectively and passionately working with expertise and commitment worldwide. Roma Gallery provides collectors with a private viewing room by appointment only. The viewing room is located on the second floor of the building above the gallery space. This setting allows clients to discuss, acquire in-depth information and evaluate their needs with expert advice.
Reviewed By Sofia13556 - Athens, Greece
Roma Gallery is located at Kolonaki neighborhood and is a great art gallery! I enjoyed the artworks especially Angelo Accardi's ! I also met Artemis, who is very friendly and explain everything! Thank you!
3. Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 60 reviews
The museum of the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens houses the Foundation's rare Collection of modern and contemporary art, with works by Cézanne, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, El Greco, Chagall, Rodin, Miró, Parthenis, Tetsis, Tsarouchis, Moralis and will also hold temporary exhibitions of Greek and foreign artists. Apart from exhibition spaces, the museum - with a total surface area of 7,250 m2 spread over 11 floors - also houses a shop and Café - Restaurant, art library, children’s workshop and a state-of-the-art auditorium. Concerts, theatrical productions, discussions, activities for children and adults and educational workshops complement the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation philosophy, in a series of innovative events harmoniously incorporated in the museum setting.
Reviewed By amazing008 - Thessaloniki, Greece
I was very proud of my "acquaintance" with the Museum of the Basil & Eliza Goulandris Foundation . "Jewel" not only for Athens but also for the whole country, this precious gift of the couple who loved the art and wanted to share it with the general public by giving him a wonderful collection unique works of art that he has fought in many cases to obtain. Almost fifty years ago, Basil and Eliza Goulandris made their legendary collection — one of the most important private collectionscreated in the second half of the 20th century - with patience and longing to be exhibited at the museum But it was not easy! It took a long time (27 years !!!!) to negotiate, postpone, frustrate until the doors of the "jewelry" museum open. In an imposing building that balances between neoclassical and modern, a few meters from Kallimarmaro it was housed the dream of Basil and Eliza Goulandris, 180 works and objects by creators whose name alone provokes an "uproar" for art lovers, creators who never imagined they would come to Greece and they adorned the walls of a Greek museum. Works by Dominic Theotokopoulos, Paul Cézanne (the first artist to purchase the couple), Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Goggen, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonar, Georges Braque, Juan Miro, Vasili Kandinsky, Paul Clay, Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon, Alberto Giacometti, Mark Sagall, Cesar, Ben Nicholson, Giorgio de Quirico and others find visitors on the 1st and 2nd floors. On the 3rd and 4th floor Greek artists such as Constantine Parthenis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Gikas, Giannis Tsarouchis, George Bouzianis, Giannis Moralis, Giannis Gaitis, Panagiotis Tetsis ,, Dimitris Mytaras, Alekos Fassianos, George Zogolopoulos , Sofia Vari, George Rorris, Pavlos Samios, Michalis Tombros, Sotiris Sorongas, Kostas Tsoklis ... "get to know" the visitors. One room is dedicated - by the Goulandris couple - to their important collection of French furniture and artifacts. You are amazed at the furniture from their Paris apartment — including Vasilis Goulandris's office — dating from the 18th century as well as unique aesthetic Chinese artifacts from jade and porcelain. And "bow" with respect to the front in their portrait (crafted by George Rorris), thanking them mentally for their great contribution.
4. Museum of Cycladic Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,189 reviews
A dynamic cultural institution in the centre of Athens, the Museum of Cycladic Art focuses on promoting the ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus, with particular emphasis on Cycladic art of the third millennium BC. The Museum’s permanent collections include 3000 Cycladic, ancient Greek, and ancient Cypriot artefacts, witnesses to the cultures that flourished in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean from the fourth millennium BC to approximately the sixth century AD. The Museum of Cycladic Art’s temporary exhibitions focus on archaeology and modern and contemporary art with the aim to familiarize the public with important twentieth and twenty-first century artists and to explore the relations between ancient cultures and modern art. Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Thomas Struth, Louise Bourgeois, Sarah Lucas, Ugo Rondinone, Jannis Kounellis, Mario Merz, Ai Weiwei, and Cy Twombly are among the artists hosted.
Reviewed By Tiffanymd - Salida, United States
Special exhibit was amazing. Permanent collection also informative and inspiring. I especially liked the Cycladic floor.
5. National Archaeological Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,806 reviews
Reviewed By tashak574
An extensive and fascinating museum with many unimaginable finds. It can be an overwhelming experience even with several wings closed. The collection shed a great deal of insight on the various movements in design during Greek history and shared really fascinating and well kept artifacts from points we learn about in history class. We’re talking arrow heads from the battle of Marathon. It’s a good time.
6. Benaki Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,501 reviews
The Benaki Museum is among the most extensive and innovative cultural organizations in Europa. Diverse cultures from all historical periods and geographical areas meet contemporary art across a network of venues all over Athens – and beyond. The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture presents the history and art of the Greek world from prehistory to the 20th century, through 6.000 objects arranged over four floors. Antonis Benakis (1873-1954) was a passionate art collector. He belonged to a cosmopolitan circle of connoisseurs and intellectuals in Alexandria, Egypt. Following his return to Athens and the death of his benefactor father Emmanuel, Antonis bequeathed to Greece his collections and parental home, which opened in April 1931 as the Benaki Museum. After a comprehensive refurbishment, the building reopened on 7 June 2000 as the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture while the remaining diverse collections have since been housed in new buildings (see Benaki Museum of Islamic Art).
Reviewed By Timotraveler - Helsinki, Finland
I have walked by this museum many times on my visits to Athens. It is close to the city center and Syntagma square and the Kolonaki area. I was totally amazed by the collection - it is well displayed and takes you on a historical tour of a collection of artifacts and art - best to start at the main floor and just follow the numbers for each rooms and this gives a great view or the development of the Athens and Greek region from ancient to more modern times. It was most fascinating and would definitely recommend this if you are there - it provides much more about the area then just the Parthenon. You can spend as much or as little time - but I would say a minimum of about 1 - 1.5 hours.
7. Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 107 reviews
The Benaki Museum of Islamic Art is situated in a Neo-Classical building complex in the Kerameikos neighbourhood. It is the only museum of its kind in Greece, featuring a unique collection of world-renowned artifacts, one of the top-ten collections worldwide. The evolution of Islamic civilisation from the first appearance of Islam up to the Ottoman period and the corresponding development of Islamic art up to the 19th century are demonstrated by more than 8,000 works of art, including ceramics, gold, metalwork, textiles and glass, smaller groupings of bone objects, inscribed funerary steles and weaponry, as well as the marble-faced interior of a reception room from a 17th-century Cairo mansion. During the preservation works of the building, a section of the ancient city wall of Athens was uncovered at the basement level; it is now accessible to visitors. More information at http://bit.ly/2YPAtwg
Reviewed By permia
Covering centuries across numerous countries it’s a superlative selection of eclectic treasures. Set in an imposing Neo-Classical house that provides a fine backdrop to the displays. Ceramics, tiles and metal works are exquisite. Golden jewellery often inlaid with precious gemstones is attractively well represented. Wood carving, on doors and panels is gorgeous with decorative flourishes. Glass vessels are beautiful. An elegant Egyptian mansion reception room reflects the lives lived by the higher echelons during the Ottoman Empire. It has an inlaid marble floor and comes from the 17th century. Swords and other weapons feature in the exhibits. An array of swords and daggers have inlaid golden inscriptions of Koran phrases. A marvellous pair of Turkish conical helmets are complimented with a great suit of chain mail.
8. Frissiras Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36 reviews
Reviewed By permia
Nostalgia – Paintings from the 1980s was an exhibition underway on our visit. Comprising great collections of Greek and European works it was an engaging exposition of a selection of the thousands of art pieces held by the museum. In the impressive and elegant space, we enjoyed leisurely strolling admiring the art. Grand portraits of individuals and families included The Boxer and the Model by Vassilis Dionissopoulos and Tassos Missouras's The Family. At the Bar shows a somewhat louche figure enjoying the fruits of the hostelry. A number of self portraits and still life are absorbing. My Mother with the Silent Telephone is a poignant piece that is redolent for the current times.
9. MOMus - Museum Alex Mylona
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
10. Pinakothiki Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By aaret - Chicago, United States
A hidden gem in downtown Athens. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, personal objects and manuscripts of the most important greek artists of the 20th century, including the nobel prize diplomas to Seferis and Elytis, can be found in this gallery that has previously been the house of the great greek painter Nikos Hadjikyriakos Ghikas.
