Key Takeaways:
- Athens art galleries are impressive and spread all throughout the city, with most of them located in the city center.
- One of the most recent and popular additions to Athens’ art scene is the new Modern National Museum of Contemporary Art.
- The Ileana Tounta Center for Contemporary Art is the first multipurpose space of its kind in Athens.
- The National Gallery counts over 120 years of uninterrupted operation.
Athens is defined not only by its rich history and impressive archaeological sites but also by its distinctive culture, both ancient and contemporary.
The vibrancy of the Greek capital couldn’t help but be reflected in its offerings in art.
Treat yourself to cultural experiences your mind and heart will thank you for by visiting the best Art Galleries in Athens.
TAF/The Art Foundation
With a strong presence in the cultural life of Athens since its establishment in 2009, TAF/The Art Foundation is an inventive multifunctional space in the middle of Athens that serves as a gallery for contemporary art, as well as a popular café-bar and a shop.
TAF Gallery hosts both local and international exhibitions, workshops, performances, and film screenings, supporting Greek production and creativity at any opportunity.
The contemporary art it exhibits is not limited to paintings but extends to collections of clothing, jewelry, accessories, ceramics, and souvenirs, for which it collaborates with artists from all around Greece. Combine art gazing with a delicious cocktail, and your day will be made!
Modern National Museum of Contemporary Art - EMST
One of the most recent additions to Athens’ art scene is the new Modern National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), housed in the emblematic FIX beer factory in the heart of Athens, which was renovated by renowned Greek architect Vangelis Stylianidis.
The much-anticipated opening of the National Museum of Contemporary Art took place back in 2017, and it has since housed a number of exhibitions and continues to do so with great success.
Athens Art Gallery
Athens Art Gallery was founded in 1963 by Marilena Liakopoulou, and it reopened in 1973 in a different location in the center of Athens, at Deksamenis Square.
The primary objective of the gallery is to advocate for contemporary Greek art, holding exhibitions of paintings and sculptures, among other exhibits, in an effort to give way to, mainly local but also international, new artists.
Ekfrasi - Yianna Grammatopoulou
Ekfrasi - Yianna Grammatopoulou gallery is characterized by the multiplicity of artistic views expressed by the work of contemporary Greek and foreign artists.
Since its establishment, the gallery has managed to host both emerging and well-established artists, providing them with a modern, highly aesthetic space to exhibit their creations, regardless of the art they express their creativity.
Whether it is paintings, sculptures, photography, installations, or video, in Ekfrasi - Yianna Grammatopoulou gallery, you will find some of the top artists in the industry.
Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre
The Ileana Tounta Center for Contemporary Art, the first multipurpose space of its kind, specializes in Greek and international contemporary art. To date, more than 250 exhibitions have been organized at its premises, complemented by a wide range of cultural events.
In addition, the gallery often crosses the Greek border and participates in international art exhibitions, establishing this way a name for itself in the worldwide art industry.
Art Shop | Zoumboulakis Gallery
Zoumboulakis Gallery is an emblematic art gallery with an exhibition program that fans of art lust for year after year, making it one of the top Athens attractions.
It attracts attention from the general public for its focus on promoting emerging artists and hosting popular and acclaimed artists in Greek and international visual art.
It’s worth mentioning that the halls of the gallery have hosted a multitude of exhibits by Greek artists who have shaped the identity of the Greek art scene since the 1930s.
Rebecca Camhi Gallery
From its headquarters, the two-story neoclassical building on Leonidou Street, Rebecca Camhi Gallery sets and implements its goals: promoting contemporary art through the presentation of international artists' work and representing prominent Greek artists abroad.
The gallery has participated in major international exhibitions, and it frequently hosts lectures, artist workshops, and more.
ALMA Contemporary Art Gallery
ALMA Contemporary Art Gallery aims to present the evolution of the contemporary art scene in Greece.
It seeks to present to the public important retrospective exhibitions by prominent Greek artists from the 1960s and to introduce works by younger artists, enriching the ongoing dialogue between classic and contemporary art.
It aspires to be a platform that promotes Greece's new artistic vision.
Bernier/Eliades Gallery
At the height of its fame, the Bernier / Eliades Gallery was introduced to Greek artists.
The landscaped building of the early 20th century in the area of Thisseio has attracted collectors and audiences who are watching the multi-faceted action of the visual space.
It has introduced representatives from the younger generation of American and European visual and artistic currents during its run.
Gagosian Athens
Garry Gagosian opened his first gallery in Los Angeles in 1980. In thirty years, the Gagosian Gallery specializing in modern and contemporary art, has evolved into a worldwide network of fifteen showrooms in New York, Los Angeles, LA., Rome, Athens, Geneva, and Hong Kong.
The Athenian hall gives the Greek public the opportunity to admire the work of top Greek and foreign artists.
Kalfayan Gallery
Since its inception, Kalfayan Gallery has been aiming to develop the contemporary art scene in Greece.
But with particular emphasis on the Balkans and the MENASA regions (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia), it acts as a bridge between Western and Eastern conceptions of art.
The profile he has created over the last twenty years is international through a wide range of local and international artists representing a wide variety of media.
Radio Athènes
Radio Athènes Art Gallery is a newly established institution for the promotion of modern visual culture. It was devised and founded by Elena Papadopoulou in 2014.
It hosts exhibitions of international artists. The exhibitions she hosts cover all fields of visual arts applications, such as painting, sculpture, engraving, video, and photography.
National Gallery-Alexandros Soutsos Museum
The new decade finds the National Gallery, with 120 years of uninterrupted operation, renewed in regard to its building and exhibits.
As a contemporary art museum, it highlights the physiognomy of the culture of Greece but also the position it deserves in the world culture and represents contemporary Greek artists, showcasing their conceptual art.
The permanent exhibition of the art gallery now unfolds in 1000 paintings - out of the 20,000 kept in the warehouses - proving the great value of its rich collections.
The first monumental work that welcomes visitors entering from the main entrance is the 'People's Market' (1979-1982) by Panagiotis Tetsis, an emblematic work that exudes the joy of life and creation in an explosion of colors, emphasizing the universal character of the composition.
The great expansion project of the National Gallery began in 2011 and was completed in 2021, ten years later, marking the beginning of the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution. It is a paradise for modern art lovers!
Allouche Benias Gallery
This art gallery is an Athenian brother of Allouche Gallery in Brooklyn. One of the latest arrivals in the Athenians' gallery scene, Allouche Benias opened near Syntagma Square in June 2018.
Since then, the art gallery has created an artistic program largely inspired by pop art and street art and is in direct contact with current developments in American and Greek art.
AD Gallery
Pallados Street is a tiny alley linking Sani Square to Athinas Street. It has huge popularity on Instagram thanks to the elaborate baskets that are displayed here. There's also Palladas 5, the entrance to the AD art gallery.
Enter a solitary corridor, and you will be greeted by an open space on a single floor. This art gallery features a mixture of foreign artists and Greek artists with a particular focus on paintings and drawings of conceptual and land art.
The Breeder Art Gallery
One of the largest players on the local gallery scene, The Breeder Gallery is famous for its quirky style and its use of pop culture.
The beautifully restored building has several stories of exhibit spaces, an impressive entrance, interesting steps, and ramps across.
The modern art gallery is strong conceptually but rarely academic, with a distinctive color-oriented aesthetic that swoops toward abstraction.
Pandora
Pandora Art Gallery in Athens is a vibrant contemporary art space located in the heart of the city's historic Plaka district, just a short distance from iconic landmarks like the Acropolis.
The gallery showcases a diverse range of works from both established and emerging Greek and international artists, featuring mediums such as painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media.
With its carefully curated exhibitions, Pandora Art Gallery offers visitors an opportunity to explore the rich artistic culture of Greece in a modern context, blending traditional influences with contemporary expression.
It serves as a dynamic platform for creative dialogue, attracting art enthusiasts and collectors looking to experience the cutting edge of the Athens art scene.
Final Thoughts
The list goes on and on of art galleries in Athens that are worth checking out. However, these are our top picks.
Take our advice and incorporate as many of these galleries in your Athens itinerary for an artistic experience that will make you appreciate contemporary Greek culture and will make you want to return for more!
Of course, if you want to explore more Greek galleries outside Athens, you can check out our Greece vacation packages or plan your own customized trip; nothing should come between you and Greek art!
