Benaki Museum of Islamic Art — Attraction in Athens

I sadly don’t recommend this Benaki museum. It’s not family friendly at all and is curated poorly for non-academics and non-researchers. There is little historical context nor information for visitors to understand the collection. It’s clearly curated for researchers who already have context on the ceramics, textiles, etc…

I also found it concerning that many descriptions of items were absent. Overall the curation of this museum is shockingly poor compared to other Benaki museums. At least these items are in a safe, temperature-controlled area… but I wonder if some of these precious artifacts should be returned to their homelands. Their purpose in this museum is somewhat unclear.

Additionally- all the fire exit signs have been unplugged which is quite concerning. The guard shrugged and said don’t worry about it, when a visitor asked him.

Lastly, the cafe is supposed to be lovely but is...

Muslim art from various eras spread through four flours. Ceramics, woodwork, tapestry, and even pieces of armour and highly decorated weaponry.

Not too busy especially now with the Covid situation, located centrally yet a bit out of the city's hustle and bustle, it is an excellent alternative if you want to see something different.

Most museums in Greece in particular, deal with the classic era and predominantly western artifacts, so this isn't something you would easily get to experience.

The café on the roof of the building is a hidden gem and a great addition to a possible excursion. Vibrant with a great view over the ancient cemetery of Kerameikos and the hills near the Acropolis, I would suggest it for a sip of coffee and a quick rest after viewing the...

Four (somewhat small) storeys full of Islamic art, arranged periodically with the earliest objects in the first floor and the latest in the fourth. Item descriptions are given in Greek and English, though some items aren't given any descriptions at all.

The cafe at the top of the building offers some nice vistas over Athens, and a free wifi is available. When it comes to coffee, I'm just going to keep it nice and stay silent because, well, I don't have anything nice to say about the coffee.

The museum is bit off from the most touristy areas. That, of course, is either a plus or a minus, depending on your point of view. In any case the museum is easy to reach with multiple bus routes and the 21 trolley route...