6 Places to visit in Greece for Folk Art
As a Greek folk art enthusiast and traditional dancer I have had the privilege to see many beautiful garments and pieces of embroidery over the years. But, finding Greek folk art might not be something most people look for when visiting Greece, as the country’s antiquities tend to attract most of the attention.
I believe that Greece’s history is not complete without exploring its most recent years and folk art can really help bridge that gap between ancient and modern Greece.
Here are the six must-see museums* that every folk art lover should explore during a visit to Greece.
1. Benaki Museum, Athens
The Benaki museum is by far my favorite museum for Greek folk art, garments and embroidery, mainly because of sentimental reasons. It’s a museum I’ve visited many times in my life and I can always find something new to learn. It has a newer location in the southern suburbs of the city, but I love the original museum’s location in the heart of Athens, called Museum of Greek Culture.
It has amazing examples of folk home decor items that fascinate me and an impressive collection of jewelry - here is my favorite one - an intricate boat.
A great bonus is the incredible publications they have produced over the years on the topic of Greek folk art.
2. National Historical Museum, Athens
The National History museum of Athens may have a smaller display of Greek folk garments, but they are truly exceptional pieces, plus its walking distance from the Benaki museum and I always love visiting both on the same day.
It has also produced some amazing publications showcasing their collection of garments and jewelry.
3. Basil Papantoniou Foundation, Nauplio
The Basil Papantoniou Foundation is reason enough to visit the city of Navplio, the first capital of modern Greece. The founder of the museum, Ioanna Papadonniou, is a true legend among the Greek folk art world and I’ve had the privilege to meet her in person a few years ago. Her wealth of knowledge is unparalleled.
4. Victoria G. Karelias Collection, Kalamata
You may be familiar with the infamous olives of Kalamata, but now you have another great reason to visit this city in the southern Peloponnese.
The Victoria G. Karelias Collection is an absolute gem! It’s probably the most impressive museum of Greek folk garments. It has elevated Greek folk art, garments and jewelry into true works of art displaying them in a very theatrical way. It’s an absolute must-visit!
5. Folklife & Ethnological Museum of Macedonia-Thrace, Thessaloniki
If you find yourselves in the north of Greece then this is the museum you need to visit. Located in the iconic city of Thessaloniki, the Folklife & Ethnological Museum holds an extensive collection of original Greek traditional garments from northern Greece, including original masks of the Boula and Genitsaros that have inspired my homonymous designs.
6. Ethnological Museum of Thrace, Alexandroupoli
Located in Alexandroupoli, one of the most remote cities of Northern Greece, the Ethnological Museum of Thrace was created by another emblematic figure in the ethnological field, Angela Giannakidou and is definitely worth a visit.
Make sure you check out the shop too, as it has exceptionally unusual gift ideas!
Bonus
If you live near London or New York and a trip to Greece is only on your bucket list, then you may be interested to know that extensive collections of Greek folk embroidery can be found in the archives of the Victoria & Albert museum , London, UK and the Metropolitan Museum, New York, USA.
The links I am providing will take you directly to the museum’s archive pages. You can start your search with the term “Greece embroidery” and take it from there.
You can read a few things on the digital archives online, but I would really encourage you to try and see them in person.
To do that you need to contact the museum’s archives department to schedule a visit. It’s not as complicated as it sounds and in my experience they are always excited to welcome people interested in their collections. So tell them what you are looking for and I am sure they will allow you access.
Interesting fact
The oldest dated piece of Greek embroidery from the island of Crete dating from 1697, is held in the MET archives and I have been very fortunate to have seen it in person.
It goes to show that regardless of how difficult it might be to find the things that inspire you, there is always a way.
Keep exploring with an open mind!
*This is by no means an exhaustive list of museums with Greek folk art. There are numerous museums across the country. If you are interested to know more, please contact me and I would love to recommend more.
