Τhe Cavafy Museum in Alexandria will be restored by the Onassis Foundation in collaboration with the Hellenic Foundation for Culture.
The announcement came on 29 April, 2022 in commemoration of the date Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy was born and also when he died (1863-1933), thus celebrating 159 years since his birth – 89 since his death.
The museum, also known as Cavafy’s House, is the actual apartment where Cavafy lived the last 35 years of his life. Ιt began operating as a museum in 1992 and has since been run and maintained by the Hellenic Foundation for Culture in Alexandria, Egypt. The street used to be called Rue Lepsius in Cavafy’s time but it was renamed Rue C.P. Cavafy in his honour following his passing.
“The Onassis Foundation acquired Cavafy’s archive 10 years ago, which has now been digitised according to the latest archiving methods, freely accessible to all researchers and friends of the poet,” said President of Onassis Foundation Anthony S. Papadimitriou.
“Physical contact with a manuscript, a book he had studied or a memento of his, gives one a special emotion,” he added, revealing that “for this reason we have planned and will soon inaugurate the Cavafy Museum in Athens, where the Cavafy physical archive and all his personal belongings, including furniture, books, etc. will be exhibited.”
On committing to restore and strengthen the operation of Cavafy’s museum in Alexandria, Mr Papadimitriou noted that the Onassis Foundation plans to render it a pole of attraction for visitors from all over the world.
More information about the project can be found at www.onassis.org
