Description of the attraction
Among the many attractions of the Greek city of Nafplio, which are definitely worth a visit, the fascinating Ethnographic Museum, located in the historical center of the city in a beautiful neoclassical mansion built in the early 20th century, certainly deserves special attention.
The Ethnographic Museum in Nafplion was founded at the initiative of the President of the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation "Vasileios Papantoniou", the famous Greek folklorist and stage designer Ioanna Papantoniou with the aim of collecting, studying and preserving information and various artifacts illustrating the history of the development and peculiarities of the culture and traditions of the Greek people and the popularization of this knowledge among the younger generation. The museum collection is based on the private collection of the Papantoniou family, numbering over 6,000 items of folk art. The mansion belonging to the Papantoniou family also became the home for the museum. Already in 1981, the Ethnographic Museum in Nafplio was named "European Museum of the Year", thus gaining international recognition, and in 2013 the museum was awarded by the Academy of Athens for a special contribution to the development of Greek culture.
Today, the collection of the Ethnographic Museum has more than 45,000 exhibits - clothes, jewelry, musical instruments, ceramics, furniture, toys, paintings, prints and much more. A significant part of the exhibits date back to the 19th - early 20th century. The museum is especially proud of its impressive collection of traditional costumes and accessories (one of the best collections of Greek national costumes in the world). However, no less interesting is the exposition, which will acquaint you with the history of world fashion and the works of such famous representatives as Christian Dior, Issei Miyake, Sue Wong, Laura Ashley, Paco Rabanne, Christian Loubouien, etc.
In addition to permanent exhibitions, the museum regularly hosts specialized temporary exhibitions, various cultural events, as well as thematic lectures and seminars. At the same time, the management of the museum pays special attention to the development of general education programs for schoolchildren. The treasures of the museum have repeatedly left the borders of Nafplion and were presented at exhibitions in museums of Athens, London, Brussels, Dallas, etc.
