Greece › Athens › Museums › Maria Callas Museum
By Santorini Dave
Housed in a converted Neoclassical mansion across from the Cathedral, Athens’ Maria Callas Museum provides a unique and interactive introduction to the iconic opera singer’s life and works.
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Tickets: Purchase at the museum or online via website.
The Maria Callas Museum in Athens is the world’s first museum dedicated to the legendary Greek soprano Maria Callas, renowned for her profound influence on 20th-century opera. In commemoration of the centenary of her birth, the museum was inaugurated on October 25, 2023. It is situated in a beautifully restored three-story neoclassical building on Mitropoleos Street, opposite the Metropolitan Cathedral.
The museum houses an extensive collection of over 1,000 items related to Maria Callas’s life and career. Visitors can explore personal artifacts, including her gowns, jewelry, letters, and photographs. Notable exhibits feature costumes from her iconic performances, personal diaries, and rare live recordings that showcase her unparalleled vocal artistry.
Designed to be experienced from the top down, museum tours (guided or non-) begin on the second floor, where The Callas Experience offers several interactive spaces that provide an immersive journey into Callas’s world. Three themed, soundproof rooms recreate scenes from her most celebrated operas: Norma, Tosca, and La Traviata. Each room allows visitors to listen to original live recordings, enveloping them in the ambiance of these performances. A fourth room replicates her teaching environment at the Juilliard School, featuring audiovisual exhibits of her masterclasses.
The first floor presents a chronological narrative of Callas’s life, displaying personal artifacts such as her photo albums, letters, and stage costumes. Interactive displays enable visitors to delve into her relationships, career milestones, and the legacy she left behind.
On the ground floor, visitors can relax at Café “La Divina,” christened after Callas’s famous nickname, or peruse the adjacent museum shop that features curated items inspired by Maria Callas. Both the shop and café are open to all guests during museum business hours, whether they have purchased museum admission or not.
Maria Callas Museum Hours and Information
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10am – 8pm (Fridays until 10pm) April through October 31st. Tuesday to Sunday 10am – 6pm (Fridays until 9pm) November through March. Closed Mondays, January 1st, August 15th, and December 25th & 26th.
- Website: mariacallasmuseum.gr
- Location: Mitropoleos 44, Athens
- Telephone: +30 21 0440 4204
- Admission Fee: 10€ General admission. 7€ Admission for 65+, young adults 18 to 25 years old, student musicians, and European Youth Card holders. 3€ Admission for children 6+ to 17 years old, large families, and teachers. 22€ Family admission for 2 adults plus 2 children (above 6 years old).
- Free Entry: Children up to 6 years old, individuals with disabilities plus companion, December 2nd (Maria Callas’ Birthday), and
May 18th (International Museum Day).- Tours: Guided tours are available by advance registration for groups of 10 people or more.
- Parking: Street parking, nearby pay lots.
- Nearest Metro: Syntagma, Monastiraki.
Maria Callas Museum
The Maria Callas Museum opened in October of 2023, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the opera singer’s birth. It is located in central Athens across from the Metropolitan Cathedral.
After paying admission, visitors start their tour of the museum on the second floor at the Callas Experience: four atmospheric and immersive rooms in which to experience Callas’ most iconic works and her Juilliard classroom. This is the Norma room.
Listening stations allow visitors to hear Callas’ dramatic three-octave range in some of her most famous performances.
Down one level on the first floor, there is a timeline of the singer’s life and works, as well as collections of artifacts and memorabilia.
We think this small but absorbing museum is a worthwhile stop for true fans and curious opera novices alike.
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