Goulandris Natural History Museum

The Goulandris Natural History Museum, located in the Kifissia district, north of Athens, is an institution of fundamental importance for the understanding and conservation of the Greek natural heritage. Founded in 1965 by Angelos and Niki Goulandris, the museum is the first of its kind in Greece and has played a pioneering role in environmental education in the country. The foundation of the museum responded to the need to promote knowledge of the natural sciences and raise public awareness about the need to protect Greece’s fauna and flora. Angelos and Niki Goulandris, nature enthusiasts and environmental conservation advocates, used their resources to create an institution that not only collected and displayed natural specimens, but also served as a research and training center. The museum is housed in an elegant neoclassical building from the 19th century, expanded and renovated to accommodate various exhibitions and laboratories. The main structure of the museum includes numerous permanent collections ranging from mineralogy to zoology, botany to paleontology. Among these, stand out collections of fossils, minerals, and marine species, as well as an impressive collection of plants and insects from different parts of the world. One of the most interesting attractions of the museum is the Gaia Center for Research and Environmental Education, inaugurated in 2001. This center hosts a permanent exhibition that uses interactive technologies to educate visitors about the functioning of planet Earth, the diversity of life, and the impact of human activities on the environment. Designed in collaboration with the Natural History Museum in London, the Gaia Center represents a model of how science and technology can be used to enhance environmental understanding. Another highlight of the museum is its library, which offers a wide collection of scientific material in the field of environmental sciences. The library is a valuable resource for researchers and students, providing access to scientific publications, journals, and specialized books. The museum is easily accessible thanks to its strategic location near the Kifissia metro station, making it an ideal destination for both residents of Athens and tourists. The museum also has branches in other parts of Greece, including the Hellenic Biotope-Wetland Center (EKBY) in Thermi, founded in 1991 to promote sustainable management of natural resources in the Mediterranean, and the Paleontological Museum of Rethymno in Crete, which houses a collection of fossils and representations of endemic mammals of the island.