Hellenic Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2007 |
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| Location | 280 William Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Type | Greek museum |
The Hellenic Museum (which means Greek Museum in English) is a special place in Melbourne, Australia. It's an art and history museum that celebrates Greek culture. You can learn about both ancient and modern Greece here.
The museum shares Greek culture through different programs, exhibitions, and events. It also tells the story of the large Greek community of Melbourne and other Greek people living in Australia.
History of the Museum
The Hellenic Museum was started in 2007. A kind businessman named Spiros Stamoulis founded it. He loved helping others and supporting good causes.
The museum is located in the heart of Melbourne City Centre. It's in a very old building that used to be the Royal Mint. The main goal of the museum is to "celebrate, understand, and keep safe the art and culture of ancient and modern Greece."
Today, Spiros's son, Harry Stamoulis, is the chairman. He continues his father's work. He helps the museum partner with other cultural groups.
What You Can See: Collections
The Hellenic Museum has many interesting things to see. Some collections are always there (permanent), and others change over time (temporary).
- Oneiroi: This is a cool photo display by an Australian photographer named Bill Henson.
- Cypriot Antiquities: This collection has very old items from Cyprus. It was given by Mary and Peter Mitrakas.
- Ancient Greek Statues: You can see copies of famous ancient Greek statues here. These copies were made by the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Greek National Archaeological Museum.
- Pottery and Marbles: The Koumountatakis Family collection shows pottery from ancient Italy (called Magna Grecia) and Roman marble pieces.
- Byzantine Icons: There are also many beautiful old religious paintings called Byzantine icons.
In 2013, the museum started working with the Benaki Museum in Greece. This partnership brought a special collection of ancient items to Melbourne. It started in 2014 and is still on display.
The exhibitions at the Hellenic Museum cover many topics. These include history, culture, education, visual arts, films, music, and architecture.
The Museum Building
The Hellenic Museum is in a historic building. It used to be the Royal Mint. You can find it where William and Latrobe Streets meet in Melbourne's city center.
The building first opened in 1872. It was a branch of the British Royal Mint. An architect named J. J. Clark designed it. It's a rare example of the Renaissance Revival style in Australia. This style looks back to old Roman and Greek designs.
The part of the building where the museum is now was once the main office. It also had living areas for the Deputy Master of the Mint and his family. Only this main building and two small gatehouses are left from the original Mint complex.
The Melbourne Mint stopped making coins in 1968. The machines were sold, and other parts of the building were taken down. The building is now carefully looked after. It is listed as a heritage site, meaning it's important to history.
See also
- Greek Precinct, Melbourne
- Melbourne City Centre topics
- Greek community of Melbourne
