Traditional instruments and soundscapes from every corner of Greece
In Plaka, beside the Roman Agora, the ‘Phoebus Anogianakis’ Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments is one of the most precious treasures of the Athenian cultural scene. It is housed in the beautiful Laskaridis Mansion (1842), one of the few examples of traditional architecture of old Athens, and hosts the most complete collection of traditional musical instruments in Greece.
The history of the museum is inextricably linked to Phoebus Anogianakis (1915–2003), the great musicologist who dedicated his life to the study, collection, and preservation of Greek musical heritage. He started his collection in the 30s and completed it after half a century of research. It contains more than 1,200 instruments from all over Greece, with 600 exhibited in the museum – including everything from lyres, tsambounes (type of bagpipe), and clarinets to tambourades (long-necked string instruments), laouta (type of lute), and daoulia (a large double-headed drums).
The permanent exhibition presents the musical tradition of Greece through thematic sections that highlight the relationship of the instruments with everyday life, customs, dances, and celebrations. This is not just a walk in front of displays. This is an audio journey that will take you from the mountains of Epirus to the islands of the Aegean, as recordings from the archive of the Ethnomusicology Centre are played in the museum.
Explore while listening to the authentic soundscape of each region and seek out the regular music events hosted in its courtyard, with traditional musicians and new creators.
The interactive programmes for children and adults are of particular interest: Musical instrument crafting workshops, traditional music narrations, educational tours, and even evenings where the sounds of instruments come alive in concerts in the shadow of the Acropolis.
The museum also functions as an Ethnomusicology Centre, with a research library, archival material, and audio documents recording decades of folk musical creation. This is a space that literally breathes to the rhythm of living tradition.
The history of the museum is inextricably linked to Phoebus Anogianakis (1915–2003), the great musicologist who dedicated his life to the study, collection, and preservation of Greek musical heritage. He started his collection in the 30s and completed it after half a century of research. It contains more than 1,200 instruments from all over Greece, with 600 exhibited in the museum – including everything from lyres, tsambounes (type of bagpipe), and clarinets to tambourades (long-necked string instruments), laouta (type of lute), and daoulia (a large double-headed drums).
The permanent exhibition presents the musical tradition of Greece through thematic sections that highlight the relationship of the instruments with everyday life, customs, dances, and celebrations. This is not just a walk in front of displays. This is an audio journey that will take you from the mountains of Epirus to the islands of the Aegean, as recordings from the archive of the Ethnomusicology Centre are played in the museum.
Explore while listening to the authentic soundscape of each region and seek out the regular music events hosted in its courtyard, with traditional musicians and new creators.
The interactive programmes for children and adults are of particular interest: Musical instrument crafting workshops, traditional music narrations, educational tours, and even evenings where the sounds of instruments come alive in concerts in the shadow of the Acropolis.
The museum also functions as an Ethnomusicology Centre, with a research library, archival material, and audio documents recording decades of folk musical creation. This is a space that literally breathes to the rhythm of living tradition.
