The Maria Callas Museum, already showcasing a breathtaking collection of personal items once belonging to Greek opera legend Maria Callas, is enriching its permanent exhibition with new and unique objects that shed light on lesser-known aspects of the life and artistic journey of the unforgettable diva of the 20th century.
For the first time since it opened its doors to the public in 2023, the museum renews three thematic sections of its permanent exhibition. Among the new objects, that will be displayed to the public for the first time, are the red dress Maria Callas wore at the opening of her performance L’ homme della Mancha, along with an elegant hand fan decorated with musical scenes -both highlighting the singer’s unique and close relationship with fashion.
Also, unique sheet music from her personal collection and the embroidered covering of her piano keys will also be on display, revealing her professionalism and dedication to the art of music. The wooden key of the city she was presented with in San Francisco in 1958 is a reminder of her global recognition, while the wig she wore when she played Medea at Milano’s La Scala reminds visitors of her emblematic presence on stage. All objects belong to the museum’s permanent collection.
The curators of the exhibition incorporated the new objects in the permanent exhibition with the aim to give visitors a renewed experience at the Maria Callas Museum through a new connection with the Greek diva, who died in Paris at the age of 53.
Maria Callas Museum shortlisted for European Award
In December 2024, the Maria Callas Museum in Athens had 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.
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.
“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 Maria Callas Museum.
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’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. At the time, it included nearly 1,000 items.
The museum’s top floors offer a recreation of a room in 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.
