Photo: Thomas Gravanis

Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments

Photo: Thomas Gravanis

A wonderful collection of folk Greek musical instruments.

When was it built

The Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments “Fivos Anoyanakis” - Centre for Ethnomusicology was built around 1840. It’s a typical example of architecture during Ottonian times and one of Plaka’s oldest surviving buildings.

What's the story

In 1978, Fivos Anoyanakis, a musicologist and pioneering researcher of Greek traditional music, donated his unique collection of 1,200 musical instruments and sound emitting objects, his library and his treasured archive to the Greek State. The museum is founded In 1991 and is housed in the former residence of the military officer and scholar Georgios Lassanis. It was built using surplus material from the construction of the palace of King Otto.

Why it's important

Though the museum is small in size, the exhibits are arranged in a manner that will draw your attention. Musical instruments are grouped according to how the sound is initially produced as well as the body of the instrument (membranophones, aerophones, chordophones etc.). Video projections and audio samples (available in every display) highlight the intangilbe aspect of the instruments to every visitor.

Must-see

The idiophones, a delightful collection of forged and cast bells, spoons, triangles, water whistles, metal cymbals, coins and semantiria. A library, a sound archive and the museum's archives are also available to the public.

Fun fact

According to myth musical instruments were thought to either embody gods or act as their tools. For example Hermes was credited with inventing the lyre, and in more recent years tzamara, a type of flute, was ascribed to demons.