Near West Side
National Hellenic Museum
333 S. Halsted St.
Cultural/Community
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Saturday
10am - 4pm
Sunday
10am - 4pm
DETAILS:
Founded in 1983, the National Hellenic Museum is a public history museum with a mission to share Greek history, art, culture, and the Greek American story in relevant and meaningful ways that foster connections between people, places, and cultures. Completed in 2011, the museum is housed in a sustainable, contemporary building that serves as an anchor for Greektown. Our building is the work of Greek American architect Demetrios Stavrianos of RTKL Associates. Instead of focusing on the ancient past of Greece and forced caricatures of Classical design, the limestone and glass building synthesizes symbolic antecedents of both antiquity and Byzantine Christian architecture. A striking open stairway seamlessly connects the museum's galleries and directs visitors towards a permanent exhibition centered on the Greek immigrant experience. Complementing the structure is a remarkable rooftop event space that offers an interesting perspective of the skyline and the Jane Byrne Circle Interchange.
VISITOR EXPERIENCE:
Admission to the museum will be free with docent-led tours available at the top of every hour. Visitors can enjoy three floors of exhibits and a rooftop great for photography. During OHC, the museum will showcase the exhibitions "Gather Together: Chicago Street Photography" by Diane Alexander White, "Legacy, Renewal & Unity: Celebrating 100 Years of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,” and "Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate: Protecting the Future of Faith.” Additionally, the museum will offer a special guest experience in our classroom studio where children and adults can participate in relevant and hands-on activities that connect ancient Greek culture to the present time. Activities include: Into the Modern: Using architectural forms found in Ancient Greek structures, as well as the modern elements, visitors get to imagine and create their own city skyline. Ancient Shields: Ancient Greek soldiers used their shields for more than protection in battle. Their shields depicted scenes from mythology, hometown symbols, city-state allegiances, and classic motifs. Visitors can create their own shields inspired by the ancients using symbols relevant to their interests and inspirations. The Into the Modern activity is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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