Museum of Byzantine Culture

About

The Museum of Byzantine Culture (Greek: Μουσείο Βυζαντινού Πολιτισμού) is a museum in Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece, which opened in 1994.

To design the museum, a nationwide architectural competition was announced in 1977. The competition was ultimately won by the entry of Kyriakos Krokos. Construction of the building began in March 1989, and was completed in October 1993. Antiquities from the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens were transferred in June 1994, some of them being displayed in the museum's inaugural exhibition, "Byzantine Treasures of Thessaloniki: The Return Journey". The museum finally opened on 11 September 1994.

The museum is a scientific institution, open to the public, of a broader cultural and educational nature, aims to collect, preserve, protect, conserve, exhibit and study the works and objects of the early Christian, Byzantine, medieval in general and post-Byzantine periods, mainly from the geographical area of Macedonia and the excavation material of the territorial scope of the 9th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, with which it is in close collaboration. The Museum of Byzantine Culture also works as appropriate with the other Ephorates, when this is necessary for the enrichment and fuller, better and more scientifically informed presentation of its reports. in the framework of the realization of its aims, the Museum of Byzantine Culture is addressed to the general public, encourages through appropriate activities the increase of the number of visitors, favors the entertaining and educational contact of the public with its collections and asserts a scientifically proven and internationally scholarly way of their museum presentation.

Later, its structure and responsibilities are modified after the publication of the Decree 191 (Organization of the Ministry of Culture, Government Gazette 146 / A / 13.6.2003), according to the Article 56. The responsibilities are described in detail as follows: "...issues of acquisition, acceptance, storage, maintenance, recording, documentation, research, study, publication and display and promotion to the public of objects of the early Christian, Byzantine, medieval in general and post-Byzantine periods in northern Greece and of the modern era with subjects related to the Byzantine and Christian art".

Opening in 1994, the museum currently has 11 (as of 2017) permanent exhibitions. The first, "Early Christian Churches", focuses on the design and decoration of churches in early centuries of Christianity. "Early Christian Cities and Dwellings", presents aspects of economic life, domestic handicrafts, houses, and food and clothing of early Christians, and finally, "From the Elysian Fields to the Christian Paradise" focuses on cemeteries of early Christians, jewellery, sepulchral architecture and painting, cult customs, and clay and glass objects recovered from excavated graves. Beginning in 1998, the museum has run educational programmes for schoolchildren.

Here, finds from the Protobyzantin period (4th to 7th century) are exhibited. After the founding of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great (330 AD) Christianity soon became a state religion. Since 1997 artifacts of the early Christian Church and architectural finds have been shown in connection with the church buildings of the time, while wealthy churches were endowed with marble or mosaic floors and marble wall claddings, poorer churches were laid out with mosaic floors and frescoed walls.

Room 2: Early Christian City and Dwelling

Since 1998, objects of everyday life such as pottery, glass vessels, looms etc. have been shown here. The reception hall of a rich household in Thessaloniki was imitated; the role of the city in private and public life is to be emphasized.

Room 3: From the Elysian Fields to the Christian Paradise

The exhibition refers to the European Union-sponsored program "The Transformation of the Roman World in the Period from 400 to 900 AD". The exhibits mainly consist of graves, gravestone inscriptions, and tomb paintings. Thus, the transformation of burial rites and burial decorations since late antiquity is displayed. The exhibition was opened in 1997.

Room 4: From Iconoclasm to the Splendor of the Macedonian and Komnenian Dynasties

Since 2000, the period from the 8th to the 12th century has been dealt with in Room 4. This so-called middle Byzantine period was regarded as a period of Byzantine humanism and Greek education. Shown are items of everyday life in the Macedonian and Komnenian Dynasties such as coins, pottery, lead seals and clothing.

Room 5: The Dynasties of Byzantine Emperors

Here the epoch of the Byzantine rulers from the time of Heraclius (610–641) to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 is considered. Since the year 2000, coins and seals from this time have been seen here.

The Byzantine castles were built in strategically important locations. In order to protect their inhabitants and people from the surrounding area, even during a long period of a siege in war time, they had all the necessary facilities of a city. The archaeological finds displayed are from different castles of Macedonia. A video informs the visitor about the castles of Macedonia and Thrace. The exhibition in room 6 was opened in 2000.

Room 7: The Twilight of Byzantium (1204–1453)

The late Byzantine period is noticed by his artists and their works of art. It especially focuses on the Slavic neighbors of Greece and the monastic community of Mount Athos. Since 2002 the works of art have been exhibited.

The collection was donated to the museum in 1994. In addition to wooden and copper printing plates, more than 200 prints from the 18th to the 19th century can be seen. Some prints were taken from the permanent exhibition of the museum and are exhibited in other museums, abroad and within Greece.

Room 9: The Demetrios Economopoulos Collection

Since 2001, some of the 1460 artefacts that Mr. Oikonopoulos has left to the museum are exhibited. The collection contains pieces from prehistoric times up to the 19th century, with Byzantine and post-Byzantine art predominant. Mainly, icons from the 14th century to the 19th century are shown.