Culture is the essence and expression of any society. It is a dynamic imprint of the past, but also a source of inspiration for the present and the future. It has the capacity to inspire, to unite people, and to create a common identity that endures and evolves.
Through cultural initiatives, artworks, traditions, and innovation, a vibrant relationship with history is fostered.
An iconic partnership
With this deep conviction, the National Bank of Greece and its Historical Archive are collaborating with the Benaki Museum to co-organize the exhibition “The Stories Behind the Greek National Costumes”. The exhibition is on display at the Benaki Museum of Hellenic Culture (1 Koumbari Street) until 11 January 2026.
It focuses on the important album Hellenic National Costumes, a publishing project of high aesthetic value and special technical requirements, which was inspired and initiated by Antonis Benakis in the early 1930s. The long preparation of the publication coincided with the first decades of the Benaki Museum’s operation, a historical synchronism that reflects its founder’s keen interest in the demonstration of traditional costumes as a powerful document of national cultural continuity.
As Pari Kalamaras, Head of the Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, notes: “The thread of the exhibition narrative unfolds from the starting point of the album Hellenic National Costumes, inspired and published by Antonis Benakis. But the multiple stories, which the album illuminates, concern society in the interwar period more broadly (the bourgeoisie, artists, scientists, businessmen, the human resources of the printing industry), its ideological and aesthetic choices, and its technological possibilities.
From the archive to the exhibition
The exhibition is essentially a record and rendering of the successful outcome of the collaboration between two organisations, the Benaki Museum and the Graphic Arts Company Aspiotis-Elka SA, the company that laid the foundations of graphic arts in Greece, and which undertook the printing production of the album.
Today, the exhibits from the archive of Aspiotis-ELKA SA, which is part of the Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, document the phases of this demanding printing work and document the pioneering character of the publishing project. At the same time, the exhibits from the Benaki Museum’s collections highlight the laborious work that preceded the printing: the collection of the costume material and the editing of the edition by Antonis Benakis, the execution of the watercolours by the Russian miniaturist Nicolas Sperling, and the scientific documentation by the folklorist Angeliki Hadjimichalis.
The publication Ellinikai Ethnikai Endimasiai, apart from being an artistic achievement, is a key reference point for the scientific study of Greek traditional clothing. Xenia Politou, Curator of the Aegeas Collection of Modern Greek Culture of the Benaki Museum and Co-Curator of the exhibition, underlines the historical and scientific importance of the publication: “The totality of the data collected by Angeliki Hadjimichali, checked by her experienced eye and formulated by her ‘authoritative pen’, will be the cornerstone of the study of Greek costumes. Subsequent generations of scholars will supplement the information provided by Elliniki Ethnikai Endymasiai, often correcting any misconceptions, but will never cease to refer to the publication as the source of knowledge about Greek costume.”
The Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece and the Benaki Museum revive the visionary partnership of people of the interwar period, reaffirm their commitment as institutions to the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage, and highlight the importance of synergies for the promotion of valuable archival documents and historical collections.
To experience the “Stories behind the Hellenic National Costumes” at the Benaki Museum, visit tickets.benaki.org and secure your ticket.
The exhibition is accompanied by a detailed catalogue of the same name.
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