Athens Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum

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

The Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum of Athens is dedicated to Greek folklore music and it boasts an amazing collection of about 1,200 Greek popular musical instruments dating from the 18th century, making it one of the most significant museums of folklore music in Europe!
The mansion that houses the museum is called Lassanis Mansion, was built in 1842 and is located in Plaka.

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The exhibition occupies three floors and includes four categories of musical instruments; percussion, strings, aerophones and idiophones. Instruments have descriptions both in Greek and English and visitors can listen to their sound and music range through recorded audio. Some of the exhibited instruments are toumbeleki, davul, tambourine, laoutο and oud.

In the main building, you can find the ethnomusicologist library with important audiovisual material. Adjacent to it, at the outer building, is the Research Centre for Ethnomusicology, the museum's shop and a venue ideal for seminars and other educational programs.

The main oeuvre of the exhibits was owned by Mr. Anoyanakis who gifted its collection to the Greek state.

The museum is open every day from 08:30 to 15:30, except for Tuesdays.

How to get there

There are many ways to reach the Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum 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 Museum of Folk Instruments is located in a central area of Athens, it can be easily reached on foot from Syntagma Square in approximately 10 minutes.

By metro: The closest metro station is Monastiraki (Blue Line and Green Line). Note that the Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum 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 “Monastiraki”. Note that the Museum of Folk Instruments is located within a 5-minute walking distance from the bus stop. Check the routes and the official timetables on OASA Telematics.