Greece’s most iconic and significant cultural institution, the Benaki Museum, is set to have a permanent collection in Melbourne’s own Hellenic Museum, announced the museum this week. Alongside the permanent collection, the Museum will also be exhibiting exclusive Benaki blockbuster exhibitions over their 10 year agreement.
Rated as one of the world’s top 50 museums, the Benaki Museum was looking to enhance its connection with Greeks of the diaspora and has done so by lending some of their rare and popular collections to be enjoyed by not only Greek Australians, but the wider Australian community. The Hellenic Museum beat out notable museums in Paris, New York and London to house the collections. The exhibitions will become a major educational and cultural resource for primary, secondary and tertiary students and will assist in important components of the Australian National Education Curriculum and numerous university courses.
“Bringing the Benaki to Australia is a cultural coup,” said Harry Stamoulis, chairman of the Nafsika Stamoulis Foundation, which is the auspice under which the Hellenic Museum sits.
“This unique joint venture is the first of its kind outside Greece,” he added in his speech on Thursday night, where he announced the exciting news.
The collection will span an amazing 8,000 years of Greek history, with each major period of Greek civilisation represented including: Neolithic pottery; Minoan figurines; Mycenaea jewellery; Hellenistic sculptures; Byzantine icons and manuscripts; Post Byzantine secular art and costumes; and Neo-Hellenic art and weaponry.
In his speech on the night, the Minister for Energy, Resources and Multicultural Affairs, Nicholas Kotsiras, gave praise to Harry Stamoulis and John Tatoulis, director of the Hellenic Museum, for lauding such a collection to Australian shores. He also gave praise to Victoria’s multicultural museums and the important role they play in the cultural diversity of the state.
On the night, Mr Tatoulis explained the work that the Hellenic Museum would be doing to conserve and host the Benaki collection. He also announced the creation of four dynamic membership clubs which the broader community can “take ownership of and be part of our dream moving forward”. They include The Argonauts Club, aimed at primary school children; The Academia Club, aimed at secondary students; The Delphi Club, aimed at adult members with an interest in art, culture, education and philanthropy; and The Hermes Club, specifically for the Hellenic Museums sponsors and benefactors.
“This is an incredibly exciting time at the Hellenic Museum,” Mr Tatoulis said on the night.
For more information on the collection and the Hellenic Museum visit www.hellenic.org.au