Thessaloniki Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art

Location: Egnatia
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

The Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art is housed in the Helexpo Exhibition Center on Egnatia Street. It was established in 1979 with the express goal of promoting contemporary art and the study of art movements in Greece and abroad. The museum was initially housed in the Philkeram-Johnson factory.

The museum has acquired its collections mostly through donations from collectors. The first donation, which forms the core of the Museum of Contemporary Art, was donated by Alexandros Iolas, a great admirer and collector of works of modern art. Iolas donated 47 pieces of art, with donations from other collectors and artists following soon afterward. The museum currently owns over 2.000 works of painting, sculpture, photography, and engraving. Visitors can admire the works of Barlach, Delacroix, Charpin, Raynaud, Oppenheim, Schmeisser, Vakalo, Zimmer, Fassianos, and Tsoclis among others.

The museum consists of three floors. The first floor hosts the workrooms and ateliers where art courses take place. The second floor houses the exhibition rooms, a cafe, a gift shop, a video room, the staff offices, and the stores. On the third floor, we can find other exhibition rooms, the conference hall, and the library. The museum shop sells books on contemporary art, copies of famous artwork with the signatures of some artists, and monographs on major art movements of the 20th century.

Apart from the permanent display, temporary exhibitions of Greek and foreign artists are frequently organized by the museum, along with artistic competitions. The museum also publishes comprehensive catalogs of its exhibitions and loans works to other museums. Furthermore, art courses are provided, where young artists can learn the basics of art-producing, create their own artworks, and display them in exhibitions that are regularly held. Moreover, the museum cooperates with institutions, such as the Benaki Museum and the National Gallery, and organizes visual art exhibitions.