Description of the attraction
The Museum of Asian Art in Corfu is the unique and only museum of its kind in Greece, and one of the most important museums of Asian art in Europe. The museum was officially founded in 1926 as the Museum of Chinese and Japanese Art, and opened its doors to visitors in 1927. The museum got its current name in 1974.
The museum is located in the Palace of St. Michael and St. George, which was built at the beginning of the 19th century during the period of British rule in the Ionian Islands. The beautiful architectural ensemble, made in the neoclassical style of Maltese limestone, is striking in its grandeur.
The exposition of the museum covers a huge period of time from the Neolithic period to the 19th century. The museum's art collection is based on a private collection of antiquities from the Greek diplomat G. Manos, who served as ambassador to Paris and Vienna at the end of the 19th century. Manos was fond of collecting Asian artifacts, mainly from Japan and China, as well as from India, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet and other Asian countries. He spent all his fortune on this collection, which amounted to 10,500 exhibits. An excellent collection of artifacts was donated by Manos to Greece on the condition of creating a separate museum, of which he became the first director. Later, the museum's exposition was expanded thanks to private donations from collectors.
The exposition of the museum includes items made of ceramics, glass, stone, wood and bronze. Here you can see a variety of jewelry, textiles, household utensils, paintings, prints, religious sculptures and figurines. Exhibits such as weapons, samurai armor, masks of the Kabuki Theater, musical instruments and much more are also interesting.
The main goal of the museum is to study and popularize the cultural heritage of Asian countries. The museum hosts temporary exhibitions, as well as various educational programs and lectures are planned.
