Herakleidon Museum

The Herakleidon Museum, a private initiative operating as a Civil Non-Profit Company, was founded in 2004 by Pavlos and Belinda Firou, mainly to present the collections of its founders to the Greek public. Until 2012, the museum's halls hosted works by artists such as M.C. Escher, Vasarely, Lautrec, Degas, Xenakis, Luther, Munch and others. From the very first years of its operation, the Herakleidon Museum, with the initiatives of its current General Director, Mrs. Eleni Nomikou, has embraced science, especially mathematics, and, with the collaboration of brilliant partners - mathematicians - has created the educational program "Art and Mathematics". This coexistence between the museum and science was the catalyst for its evolution, starting in 2014, into a cultural center that discovers, promotes and highlights the multiple and complex interactions between science and art, promoting two seemingly unrelated aspects of human activity. In this endeavor, it was impossible not to encounter technology, since the latter is closely related to science, without losing its relationship to the linguistically cognate ancient Greek word "tekhne" (art). During the years of its presence in the cultural affairs of the country, the Herakleidon Museum has managed to leave a strong imprint. An imprint that is larger than its size. Mainly thanks to the inspired management and unwavering support of its founders. The Herakleidon Museum receives more than 30,000 visitors per year, has more than 27,000 followers on social networks, and has a very frequent presence in the media. During the school year, approximately 18,000 students visit the museum and participate in its educational programs. A rich collection of models and achievements of Ancient Greek technology and engineering has been created over the years. It is the result of the amalgamation of the pre-existing collection of the Greek Association of Research on Ancient Greek and Byzantine Technology and the models - exhibits constructed with the support of the Herakleidon Museum, all of which have been scientifically documented by renowned scientists and approved by the scientific advisors of the Museum. The models include, but are not limited to: a model of a house from Akrotiri of Thira with sanitary facilities, the construction site of the Parthenon according to Manolis Korres, a 3:1 scale functional model of the Antikythera mechanism studied by the late Yannis Seiradakis and Prof. Kyriakos Efstathiou, the liturgical composition of Philo and Heron Therapenida according to an idea by Theodosis Tasios and designs and realization by Manolis Korres, a model with technologies in theater by Prof. G. Caradedo. The collection is constantly enriched, always with the agreement of EDABuT (Greek Association of Research on Ancient Greek and Byzantine Technology) and the scientific advisors of the Museum.