Did you know Melbourne is home to the largest Greek population in the world outside of Greece and Cyprus? People from Greece have been calling Melbourne home since the gold rush, so much so that our city even has a museum dedicated to Greek art and history.
The Hellenic Museum is Melbourne's go-to location to learn about Greek culture through a range of innovative program, events and exhibitions. Located at the old Royal Mint building on William Street, the museum features five permanent exhibitions (including Gods, Myths and Mortals from Athens' Benaki Museum) plus two touring exhibitions.
While some items at the museum date all the way back to Neolithic times, the Hellenic Musuem is also active in fostering Greek and non-Greek artists to explore and reimagine Greek culture through a contemporary lens – such as artists Sam Jinks' hyperreal sculpture 'The Messenger' (which is inspired by the Greek goddess Iris).
In addition to its exhibitions, the museum also hosts events throughout the year, including live music, theatre, film and talks.