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Museum of Greek Folk Instruments

The Museum of Greek Folk Instruments is housed in an austere building of neoclassical architecture in Plaka.

  1. Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )


    1842 The building was built.

    1978 Phoebus Anogianakis donated his collection to the public.

    1991 The museum was inaugurated.

  2. Ottoman era (1453- 1821)


  3. Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)


  4. Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)


  5. Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)


  6. Classical era (478-323 BC)


  7. Archaic era (800-479 BC)


  8. Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)


  9. Prehistory (-1100 BC)


What I can see

The Museum of Greek Folk Instruments is housed in one of the oldest houses in Plaka, which was built during the years of king Otto. It has about 1200 Greek folk instruments from the 18th century to the present day. Only half are on display and the the rest are available for research and traveling exhibitions. The collection is spread over 3 floors and is divided into 4 sections a) membraphones (e.g. drums), b) aerophones (e.g. bagpipes), c) chordophones (e.g. lute) and d) idiophones (e.g. bells). The order of the exhibition follows history and tradition and the visitor has a full musical and dancing experience. In addition, the visitor can also hear the instruments’ sounds with the help of headphones.

What I can't see

The museum is housed in the residence and stables of the general and scholar Georgios Lassanis. It was built from left overs of the palaces (today’s Parliament) building materials. A small hammam is also preserved, which shows that the house was probably built on the site of an older house of the Ottoman period. Lassanis left his property to the University of Athens. The musicologist Phoebus Anogianakis started to create the collection, which he donated to the public. Moreover, the main building houses the ethnomusicological library with more than 5000 titles and the annex houses the Center for Ethnomusicological Research.

Info

  • Address: 1-3 Diogenous St.
  • Postal Code : 10556
  • Phone: +30 210 3254119, 3254129
  • E-mail: [email protected]

Bibliography

Unsigned, (2012), Μουσείο Ελληνικών Λαϊκών Μουσικών Οργάνων “Φοίβος Ανωγειανάκης” Κέντρο Εθνομουσικολογίας, [Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments “Phoebus Anogianakis” Center for Ethnomusicology], Odysseus, Ministry of Culture

http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/gh151.jsp?obj_id=3403

Last visit 31/1/2023

 

Yohalas T., Kafetzaki Τ., (2013), Αθήνα, Ιχνηλατώντας την πόλη με οδηγό την ιστορία και τη λογοτεχνία [Athens, Tracing the city guided by history and literature], ESTIA Bookstore

 

Zivas D.A.., (2012), Αρχιτεκτονικός Οδηγός Αθηνών, [Architectural Guide of Athens], Cultural Foundation of Pireos Group