Greece › Athens › Museums › Athens City Museum
Updated: August 12, 2022
By Santorini Dave
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Tickets: Purchase at the museum or by phone at +30 210 323 1387.
The Athens City Museum is essentially two beautiful 19th-Century neoclassical homes that were once home to the aristocratic Dekozis-Vouros family, which included Lambros Eutaxias, an avid art collector and an enthusiast of Greek history who founded the museum. The older of the two mansions is known as the Old Palace because between 1836 and 1842 it was the residence of King Otto and Queen Amalia, the first royal family of Greece, before they moved into their new palace in the present day Parliament building. Through authentic antique furnishings, photographs, and personal belongings, as well as interactive digital exhibits, the museum allows visitors to experience high-living Athens in the 1800’s, when the city became the capital of the Greek state after the War of Independence (1821-1829).
The two mansions are connected by an interior corridor and exhibits are arranged over 20 rooms and halls. The permanent collection includes personal items and furniture from the first royal couple as well as furnishings, paintings, and other objects from the aristocratic Athenian families of Vouros and Eutaxias. An interesting digital display provides historical insight to the city’s top buildings; select the building of interest and an image of the way that building was in 1842 will reveal itself. The City Museum is also home to the oldest (1674) and largest existing oil painting of Athens that includes the fully-intact Acropolis before it was partially destroyed by the Venetian army in 1687.
Audio guides are available but not consistently offered; ask about this option when purchasing admission as English signage and description throughout the museum could benefit from improvement. During their visit, kids can dress up in reproduction Ottos and Amalia costumes for royal photo ops (10€ per costume, call ahead). A lovely seasonal garden bistro serves drinks, snacks, and refreshments until mid-October. The Athens City Museum is centrally-located, about a 600-meter walk on mostly flat city streets northwest of Syntagma Square, which is also the nearest metro station.
Athens City Museum Hours and Information
- Hours: 9am – 4pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; 10am – 3pm Saturday & Sunday. Closed Tuesdays, January 1, Orthodox Εaster Sunday & Monday, December 25 & 26
- Website: athenscitymuseum.gr
- Location: loannou Paparrigopoulou 5-7
- Telephone: +30 210 323 1387
- Admission Fee: Genaral Admission 5€/person, Reduced Admission (seniors, students, kids 8-15 years) 3€. Kids under 8 are free.
- Parking: Street parking, nearby pay lots
- Nearest Metro: Syntagma, Monastiraki
Athens City Museum
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I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.