The Goulandris Natural History Museum in the Athens suburb of Kifissia is the largest natural history museum in Greece. The family-friendly museum is also an exciting attraction for children in Athens.
In this complete guide to the Goulandris Natural History Museum in Athens, you'll learn all about the exhibition, history, and helpful information about how to get there and tickets.
What Can I Do at the Goulandris Natural History Museum?
As the country's largest natural history museum, the Goulandris Natural History Museum boasts impressive collections that showcase the country's biological and geological wealth. The audiovisual and interactive exhibitions not only inspire adults, the museum is particularly popular with families with children.
The permanent exhibition of the Goulandris Natural History Museum can be divided into the following sections:
Temporary Exhibitions
The museum is regularly enriched by temporary exhibitions, which primarily deal with important environmental issues. A current overview and preview can be found here.
Exhibition at the Gaia Center
Founded in 2001, the Gaia Center's permanent exhibition educates visitors about the functioning and evolution of the earth, the diversity of life on earth, and the impact of humans on the environment.
The exhibition was conceived together with the Natural History Museum in London - one more reason why the Goulandris Natural History Museum stands out among the museums in Athens.
Events
The museum sees itself as an educational institution and regularly organizes various activities and informative events such as seminars, training programs and lectures. Here is a current overview and preview of upcoming events.
Café - Restaurant in the Museum
Your physical well-being is also taken care of at the museum. You can refuel and take a break in one of the museum's two café-restaurants. A café is located in the garden of the museum.
Museum Shop
The Goulandris Natural History Museum also has a museum shop with an interesting selection of items. Everything is available from jewelry and porcelain to handmade crafts and rocks to gifts and books.
Private Events
Some of the museum's function rooms, such as the Angelos Goulandris Amphitheater and the Atrium, can be booked for your own events. They serve as unique venues for events such as gala dinners, conferences, congresses, seminars and product launches. You can find more information about this here.
Admission, Tickets and Guided Tours
How Do I Get to the Goulandris Natural History Museum?
The Goulandris Natural History Museum is located in the Athens suburb of Kifissia. It is very easy to reach by public transport.
The best way is to take the Metro 1 to the “Kifissia” stop. From there it is a 10-minute walk to the museum.
Visitors arriving from Piraeus cruise port can go to the nearby Piraeus Metro Station and board the M1 line. A single ticket is sufficient for the approx. 50-minute journey to the "ΚΗΦΙΣΙΑ ΠΛ.1" station. From there it is another 11-minute walk to the museum.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
The regular opening hours of the Goulandris Natural History Museum are Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 2.30pm (October 1st to April 30th). On Saturdays and Sundays it is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In the winter season (April to October) the museum is open from Monday to Friday. The museum is closed on public holidays and in August.
The current opening hours can be found on the official website of the museum.
The Goulandris Natural History Museum is housed in a neoclassical building from 1875 in the Kifissia district of Athens. The full address is: The Goulandris Natural History Museum, 13 Levidou street, 145 62 Kifissia
The Goulandris Natural History Museum in the Athens suburb of Kifissia can be easily reached by public transport. The easiest way is to take the Metro 1 to the “Kifissia” stop. From there it is a 10-minute walk to the museum.
Visitors arriving from Piraeus Cruise Port can go to the nearby Piraeus Metro Station and board the M1 line. A single ticket is sufficient for the approx. 50-minute journey to the "ΚΗΦΙΣΙΑ ΠΛ.1" station. From there it is another 11-minute walk to the museum.
Tickets for the Goulandris Natural History Museum can be purchased at the on-site ticket offices.
History of the Goulandris Natural History Museum
The Goulandris Natural History Museum was founded in 1965 by Angelos and Niki Goulandris. They hoped that this would increase interest in the natural sciences and draw attention to the natural habitats of endangered, native animal species in particular.
The private natural history museum is a non-profit organization. The museum is housed in a neoclassical building from 1875 in Athens' Kifissia district.
Initially, the museum's focus was on Greek flora. The departments of zoology, paleontology and geology were only added in 1977. Since then, the museum has been called "Goulandris Natural History Museum".
In 1991, in collaboration with the European Commission (DGXI) and the Greek Ministry of the Environment, the Museum founded the Greek Center for Bio- and Hygrotopes (EKBY).
Since 2001, the Goulandris Natural History Museum has presented the "Gaia Center" for environmental research and education, dedicated to the development and functioning of the earth and to illuminating environmental issues.
The museum has already received numerous awards for its national and international work. A must for all nature lovers!
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