Athens National Gallery
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Location: Hilton Area
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)
The National Art Gallery of Athens is the most important venue for the history of art in Greece. It is located opposite the former Hilton Hotel and the Dromeas Statue, within walking distance of Syntagma Square and Kallimarmaro Stadium.
This gallery was established in 1900 and the first curator was the eminent Greek painter, George Jakobides. The initiative for the opening of the gallery was the donations of the lawyer and art lover, Alexandros Soutsos. This is why the gallery is also called the Museum of Alexandros Soutsos. After his death in 1986, Soutsos ceded his large art collection (107 pieces) to the Greek State, leading to the establishment of the Gallery.
At first, the National Gallery of Greece was housed in other buildings, including the Polytechnic School of Athens (until 1939).
In 1976, the current building on Vassileos Constantinou Avenue was constructed, with modern lines and style, and the gallery is housed there until today.
More donations by Greek entrepreneurs or foreign artists followed and now the gallery hosts about 15,000 pieces.
Top Tours and activities
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Self-drive classic route
Book nowfrom € 620.00Category: Other, Multi Days, City Breaks, City, Private, Ancient Sites, Shore ExcursionsN/A MapExplore Greece by car on this self-drive classic route. Give your self the change to see the capital of Greece, Athens, and the most important archaeological sites of the country at your own pace!
More information about the National Gallery
The permanent exhibition of the National Gallery includes many paintings of the Renaissance, such as The Concert of the Angels by El Greco, The Adoration of the Shepherds by Jacob Jordaens, Esther and Ahasuerus by Luca Giordano and Eliezer and Rebecca by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, among others. Works of 17th- to 20th-century European painters are also exhibited, such as works of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matise, Eugene Delacroix, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacques Linard, Auguste Rodin, and others.
A very important wing of the National Gallery is dedicated to Greek artists, either 19th-century artists belonging to the Munich School as it is called, such as George Jakobides, Nikiforos Lytras, and Nikolaos Gyzis, or modern 20th-century artists, such as Nikos Hatdjikyriakos-Ghikas, Yannis Tsarouchis, Yiannis Moralis, Spyros Vasiliou, Nikos Egonopoulos, Dimitris Mytaras, and Theophilos (Hatzimichail).
Part of the National Gallery is also the National Sculpture Gallery which is located in the park of Goudi. Over the years, departments of the National Gallery have opened in Nafplion, Corfu, Aegina, and Sparta.
How to get there
There are many ways to reach the National Gallery from any location in Athens.
Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: (0030) 18288, (0030) 18222, (0030) 18180. You can also book your taxi online.
On foot: As the National Gallery is located in a central area of Athens, it can be easily reached on foot from Syntagma Square in approximately 20 minutes.
By metro: The closest metro station is Evangelismos (Blue Line). Note that the National Gallery is located within a 5-minute walking distance from the metro. Get a map of the metro here.
By bus/trolleybus: The closest bus stop is "Pinakothiki". Check the routes and the official timetables on OASA Telematics.
