The Museum of Cycladic Art is dedicated to the study and promotion of ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus, with special emphasis on Cycladic Art of the 3rd millennium BC.
It was founded in 1986, to house the collection of Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris. Since then it has grown in size to accommodate new acquisitions, obtained either through direct purchases or through donations by important collectors and institutions.
Today, in the galleries of the MCA the visitor can approach three major subjects:
Cycladic art 3200-2000 BC, Ancient Greek art 2000 BC-AD 395, Ancient Cypriot art 3900 BC-6TH C. AD
Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris started collecting archaeological objects at the beginning of the ‘60s, after being granted official permission by the Greek state. The collection soon became renowned among scholars because of its exquisite and rare Cycladic objects (marble figurines and vessels), which were published by Prof. Christos Doumas in 1968.
The collection was first presented at the Benaki Museum in 1978. Between 1979 and 1983 it traveled to major museums and galleries around the globe: the National Gallery of Washington in 1979, the Museum of Western Art at Tokyo and Kyoto in 1980, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts in 1981, the Musees Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire and the Palais des Beaux Arts at at Brussels in 1982, the British Museum at London in 1983 and the Grand Palais at Paris in 1983. In recent years, Cycladic objects from the N.P. Goulandris Collection have been presented at the Museo Nacional – Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid (1999),
A few years ago, an exhibition of the collection was inaugurated by the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias in the Musei Capitolini in Rome (2006). In 2008 the Museum of Cycladic Art was invited for the Olympics in Beijing to present the Cycladic Collection in the Beijing Art Museum, Imperial City in the Chinese capital.
Recently, an archaeological exhibition entitled: Across-The Cyclades and Western Anatolia during the 3rd millennium B.C. was organised in collaboration with the National Archaeological Museum and the Sakip Sabanci Museum at the latter in Istanbul.
The creation and mission of the Museum
The MCA was inaugurated on 26 January 1986. Dolly Goulandris donated the entire N.P. Goulandris Collection to the museum, where it has been on exhibition ever since. A few months earlier, in 1985, the N.P. Goulandris Foundation had been instituted, whose stated mission is “the study of Aegean civilization, research on prehistoric, Classical and modern Greek art, as well as its dissemination and promotion”. These goals are being fulfilled through the effective maintenance, presentation and continuous enlargement of the collection, the temporary exhibitions, the publication of monographs and catalogues, the provision of scholarships for research purposes and the participation in international research projects.
Since 1986 the MCA has enlarged its collections with new acquisitions, purchases from other private collections in Greece, donations and long-term loans. In some cases donors, both individuals and institutions, have offered the entirety – or a large part – of their collections to the MCA. These collections (C. Politis Collection, Athens Academy Collection, Commercial Bank Collection) have been incorporated into the major thematic units of the museum. In 2002, the Cypriot collector Thanos N. Zintilis donated to the MCA one of the largest collections of Cypriot antiquities in the world.
Temporary exhibitions constitute one of the most fruitful activities of the MCA, constantly renewing the museum’s interaction with the public. The numerous archaeological exhibitions are meant to introduce the public to important aspects of ancient Greek art as well as of other Mediterranean cultures, with loans from other Greek and foreign museums.
Apart from archaeology, the temporary exhibitions of the MCA frequently focus on modern and contemporary art, aiming to introduce the public to important 20th century artists (Dali, Picasso, etc.) and explore the links between ancient cultures and modern artistic creation.
The MCA is particularly interested in children and education. The educational programmes have been an integral part of the museum life since its inauguration. They are specially designed to address a varied audience, cover a wide range of subjects and are structured in an informative and imaginative way that turns learning into an exciting and creative process.
Educational programmes are available both for schools and for parents who wish to visit the museum with their kids.
Opening hours Print page
Monday – Wednesday – Friday – Saturday 10:00 – 17:00
Thursday 10:00 – 20:00
Sunday 11:00 – 17:00
Tuesday
closed
EASTER 2016
Tuesday 24.04 10.00-17.00
Friday 29.04 12.00-17.00
Saturday 30.04 10.00-15.00
Sunday 1.05, Monday 2.05 &
Tuesday 3.05
closed
The other days and times remain the same.
Public Holidays
The Museum remains closed
1 January, Easter, Easter Monday, Spirit Monday, 1 May, 25 December, 26 December, Shrove Monday, 25 March, 15 August.
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ADMISSION
Standard entrance fee
(except for Monday) 7€
Standard entrance fee
(WOLS / QUINLAN exhibition)
3,5€
Reduced entrance fees
– seniors (over 65)
3,5€
– students, 19-26 years old 3,5€
– groups of 15 or more 5€ (each)
Monday entrance fee
3,5€
Free admission
– kids and young persons under 18
– visitors with disabilities and their companion
– members of the MCA
– archaeologists
– archaeology and art history students
– members of ICOM – ICOMOS
– journalists
– qualified guides
– teachers accompanying school-classes participating
in educational programmes
– parents accompanying their kids for the
Saturday’s programme
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ENTRANCE
There are two entrances to the MCA:
Main Building | Permanent Collections
Stathatos Mansion | (Temporary exhibitions
Vasilissis Sophias Ave and 1 Irodotou St.
There is an internal connection between the buildings. Fee includes same day admission to both wings.
Πηγή: http://www.cycladic.gr/
