The Numismatic Museum in the former residence of Heinrich Schliemann presents an impressive collection of ancient and modern Greek coins. It is considered one of the most important museums of its kind in the world, making it one of the must-see attractions in Athens.
In this complete guide to the Numismatic Museum in Athens, you'll learn all about the exhibition, history, and helpful information on how about get there and tickets.
What Can I Do at the Athens Numismatic Museum?
The Numismatic Museum in the heart of Athens houses the largest coin collection in the world. Around 500,000 exhibits are part of the museum's inventory, including mostly coins, but also valuable relics, seals, weights, handicrafts, medals and artifacts.
The permanent exhibition covers coins from antiquity, medieval coins from Europe and modern Greek coins, which are displayed in showcases. Explanations, photographs and drawings provide more detailed information on the treasures on display. In addition, the museum illustrates topics such as payment in ancient Greece, the production and circulation of coins and monetary union.
The Heinrich Schliemann collection, which presents his private numismatic collection, is also well worth seeing. It is shown in its own room, which honors the life and work of Schliemann and the work of the architect of the museum building, Ernst Ziller.
The Numismatic Museum has a laboratory for the classification and conservation of valuable coins, an archive and a library with around 12,500 books on the history of coins.
The Museum Building
The magnificent museum building is one of the most beautiful neoclassical buildings in Athens.
The magnificent two-story building is housed in the former residence of the renowned German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who is world-famous for his excavations at Troy and Mycenae. He had the Neo-Renaissance palace named “Iliou Melathron” (in English: Palace of Troy ) built according to the design of the famous architect Ernst Ziller. After the archaeologist's death, the state acquired the magnificent building and used it from 1934 to 1981 as the seat of the Supreme Court of the Areopagus.
Even today, you can still experience the former splendor of Schliemann's home. When visiting the museum rooms, the interior as well as the unique exhibits stand out. Mosaics as well as wall and ceiling paintings, which depict the finds from Schliemann's excavations or copies of Pompeian wall decorations, decorate the interior and transport you to another world and time.
Garden
The museum building is surrounded on three sides by a beautiful garden. You can relax in the green oasis in the heart of Athens. A number of plant species from Greek fauna and sculptures adorn the garden. There is also a café where you can have a coffee or a meal.
The concerts that regularly take place in the garden create an even better atmosphere.
Museum Shop
A museum shop is located on the first floor of the building and offers a diverse selection of replicas of ancient Greek coins, jewelry, books and gifts.
Admission, Tickets and Guided Tours
How do I Get to the Athens Numismatic Museum?
The Numismatic Museum is located in the Kolonaki district of central Athens, near Syntagma Square. The museum therefore has excellent connections to the public transport network. The easiest way to get to the museum is to take the Metro 2 or 3 to Syntagma station. From there it is only a 5 minute walk.
Visitors arriving from the Piraeus cruise port can go to the nearby Piraeus Metro Station and board the M1 line. A single ticket is sufficient for the 16-minute journey to Monastiraki station. There, change to the M2 metro line and travel one stop to the “Syntagma” station.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
The current opening hours can be found on the official website of the museum (Greek only).
The Athens Numismatic Museum is housed in “Iliou Melathron”, Heinrich Schliemann's former home, in the Kolonaki district of central Athens. It is close to Syntagma Square and other attractions such as the Benaki Museum, the National History Museum and the National Garden. The full address is: El. Venizelou (Panepistimiou) 12, Athens, Τ.Κ. 10671, Athens
The easiest way to get to the Athens Numismatic Museum is to take Metro 2 or 3 to Syntagma station. From there it is only a 5 minute walk.
Visitors arriving from the Piraeus cruise port can go to the nearby Piraeus Metro Station and board the M1 line. A single ticket is sufficient for the 16-minute journey to Monastiraki station. There, change to the M2 metro line and travel one stop to the “Syntagma” station.
There are entrance fees to enter the Athens Numismatic Museum. Children under the age of 5, EU citizens under the age of 25, visitors with disabilities and others enjoy free entry to the Numismatic Museum. A complete and detailed list is available here .
History of the Athens Numismatic Museum
The history of the Numismatic Museum dates back to 1834. Shortly after the end of the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829), the state began to set up the first collection of coins in Aegina, which steadily grew through donations, purchases and archaeological finds.
The collection was presented for the first time in the State Library of Greece. From 1946 to 1998 the collection of the Numismatic Museum was shown in a side wing of the National Archaeological Museum.
In December 1998, the Numismatic Museum finally moved to its current location, the neo-Renaissance “Iliou Melathron” palace, the former residence of the famous archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann.
As one of the most important museums of its kind, the Numismatic Museum is now one of the most worth seeing museums in Athens.