Athens National
Historical Museum
The Athens National Historical Museum is in the former Greek Parliament
building and houses an archive of historical artefacts and documents.
Athens National Historical Museum
Photo by Reinhard Dietrich
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
The Athens National Historical Museum (or Istorikó Mouseío in
Greek) is an archive of historical documents and artefacts displayed in the
former Greek Parliament building. This was built in 1858 and was home to the
Parliament until 1934. Indeed, one of the chief attractions is the chance to
see the grand Debating Hall of the Old Parliament, which is very impressive.
The museum is likely to be mainly of interest to historians,
and admirers of Lord Byron will find a room containing some of his
belongings, such as his sword, desk, trunk, pistol, and helmet. The rooms tell
the story of modern Greek history, from about the 14th century until shortly
after independence.
Photo Archive
The museum also has an archive of wonderful old photos, so
if there’s a photographic exhibition on there when you’re in Athens it’s well
worth going along.
Photo from the Archives of the Athens National Historical Museum
There’s a large collection of weaponry, and tributes to the
freedom fighters who helped Greece gain its independence. As expected, it is
very Greek-centred, with numerous paintings of Greek worthies. Unfortunately,
only summarised information is available in anything other than Greek.
Visiting the Athens National Historical Museum
The Athens National
Historical Museum is at Stadiou 13, less than a 5-minute walk from Syntagma
Square.
nhmuseum.gr
Where to Stay in Athens
Some other Athens pages
Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athens guide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.
The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.
If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.
The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.
Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.
Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.
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This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.
The Athens Acropolis has the city's most iconic building, the Parthenon, along with other historic buildings and is where the Elgin Marbles were taken from.
This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.
Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.
If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.
The Changing of the Guard in Athens takes place outside the Parliament building at the top of Syntagma Square and is a must-see for visitors.
Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.
Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.
This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..
Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.
A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.
Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.
The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum
Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.
Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the original Athens Olympic Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games and open to the public for jogging and photography.
The Athens War Museum is a fascinating look at Greek history through the lens of warfare from ancient battles to the Greek War of Independence and World War II.
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