Museum of Music opened in Corfu

Old musical instruments, photographs, scores and rare sound documents are only few of the exhibits that visitors can see and listen in the Museum of Music "Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros", that recently opened in Corfu with the contribution of the Philarmonic Society of Corfu. This museum is the first of its kind in Greece and its inauguration actually coincided with the celebration of the 170 years from the foundation of the Philarmonic Society of Corfu, the oldest all over the country. The idea for the establishment of this museum was born in 2000. Four years later, the museological study was ready and the next step was to find the necessary sources, which were eventually gathered by European programs and the Greek Ministry of Culture. The Museum of Music depicts the historical course of the Philarmonic Society of Corfu, from 1840 when it was established since today, giving at the same time the chance to visitors to study the unique music tradition of the Ionian islands. The museum also honors the first cultural director of this society, Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros, composer of the Greek National Anthem. The Museum of Music is housed in the first floor of the building of the Philarmonic Society (Nikiforos Theotokis 10, Corfu Town) and it is open Monday-Saturday, 9.30- 13.30