Maria Callas Museum Shortlisted for European Award

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Maria Callas Museum Shortlisted for European Award

Display areas have exhibits of her costumes and hand-written letters. Credit: AMNA

Having completed its first year of operation, the Maria Callas Museum in Athens has been shortlisted for the prestigious European Museum of the Year Awards (EMYA) 2025, marking its emergence as a contemporary cultural institution with a global perspective.

“We are proud that, within just one year of operation, our museum is being recognized internationally as a space of innovation, creativity, and a bridge connecting cultural heritage with the modern era,” said Kostis Papaioannou, president of Technopolis at the Municipality of Athens, which manages the

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Maria Florou, head of the Museum Division at Athens Municipality’s Technopolis, added, “This is a great honor for us and a commitment to continue our important work, regardless of challenges. This process has been fascinating, teaching us a great deal and filling us with inspiration.”

Related: Maria Callas: The Diva Lives on

Maria Callas Museum welcomed over 38,000 visitors

In its inaugural year, the museum welcomed over 38,000 visitors from more than 50 countries, establishing itself as a key destination for opera, music, and culture enthusiasts worldwide. It also successfully engaged audiences unfamiliar with opera through exhibitions, educational programs, artistic events, and social initiatives.

The Museum features recordings of her most famous opera performances. Credit: AMNA

The museum’s growth in its first year has been driven by valuable donations and loans, collaborations with international organizations, and initiatives promoting inclusion and accessibility, making it a welcoming space for a diverse, global audience.

The beginning of the collection dates to 2000, under the then-mayor of Athens Dimitris Avramopoulos, when the city took part in an international auction of Callas memorabilia in Paris.

In the following years, the collection was enriched by donations from several agencies and individuals such as the Maria Callas Greek Society and Constantine and Victoria Pylarinos, as well as by long-term loans. Currently, it includes nearly 1,000 items.

The museum’s top floors offer a recreated room of her Paris apartment, an imaginary forest and a sound studio, along with recordings of her famed live performances and clips of her lessons at The Julliard School.

Other display areas have exhibits of her costumes, hand-written letters and a sketch of a Callas-inspired Manolo Blahnik design.

Credit: AMNA

Winner to be announced in May

From a pool of 41 nominated museums across Europe, the grand winner will be announced in May 2025 at the Sybir Memorial Museum in Białystok, Poland.

The EMYA, along with its special category awards, represents the highest accolade for museums in Europe. The evaluation process recognizes professional excellence, innovation, and creativity across a wide range of museum types and scales.

The awards honor museums that go beyond traditional storytelling, promoting sustainability, social responsibility, and community connection. Judges also assess how museums inspire creativity, contribute to society, and uphold values such as sustainability, dialogue, and inclusion.

Related: Jolie Gets Golden Globe Nomination for Maria Callas Portrayal

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