The new school year has begun, and there could not be a better occasion to celebrate with both young and old.
On Sunday, September 15, a special event was held in the fairytale area of the Benaki Toy Museum, with its amazing sea view of Paleo Faliro. It was held in beautiful surroundings and was an opportunity for people to get to know a museum full of toys and special collections and sample delicious flavours with the signature of Deipnosofistirion.
The event, attended by over 140 journalists and their children aged 5-12, was a great success. It highlighted the importance of cultural heritage through play and creativity.
In the fantastic garden with the van-canteen and on the first-floor terrace with an unobstructed view of Faliro Bay, there was homemade lemonade, cocktails for adults, delicious finger food, and sweets and ice cream.
*The exclusive partner of the Benaki Museum is Deipnosofistrioun Catering
A few words about the toy museum
The Benaki Toy Museum was created with Maria Argyriadis’s core collection, one of the best in Europe. Dedicated to childhood, it aims to study, display, and present all expressions and aspects of the “child and play” theme while inventively narrating the daily life of children from the 17th century to the present day.
The Greek collection section includes baby and children’s items and other items from ancient to modern times, such as handmade traditional toys and items of the 18th-20th century, folk festival and urban commercial toys of the 20th century, board games, as well as group street games and children’s customs.
The European collection includes toys for boys and girls and urban and folk toys dating from the 18th to the 20th centuries, mainly from England, France, and Germany. It also includes European dolls of the 19th and 20th centuries and costumes from different regions of Greece.
Archival material, photographs, letter cards, information on Greek toy manufacturers, 3,000 children’s literature and educational or general informational books complete the collection.
A few words about the landmark building of Palio Faliros
The Benaki Toy Museum is housed in an eclectic building built between 1897 and 1900. Its architectural morphology mainly contains elements of the Gothic style with references to the European Middle Ages, but also Baroque and Art Nouveau elements in the interior ceilings and murals.
Vera Kouloura donated the building to the Benaki Museum in 1976, according to the wishes of her husband, Athanasios Koulouras.
Benaki Toy Museum
14 Posidonos Ave & Tritonos 1, 175 61 P. Faliro
Benaki.org
Museum opening hours:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: closed
Dipnosofistirion Catering
Matsa 17, 145 64 Kifisia, tel. 210 6206155
info@dipnosofistirion.gr
dipnosofistirion.gr
*For more information about the upcoming events of the Benaki Toy Museum, as well as about the possibility of renting its premises, you can contact Dipnosofistirion Catering, with which the Museum cooperates exclusively, or the Events Department of the Benaki Museum: 210 3671026, tsombanoglou@benaki.org
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