Onassis Library and the Cavafy Archive return at Open House Athens 2025

For the seventh year, the Onassis Library participates in Open House Athens, one of the most eminent international initiatives around the showcasing and promotion of architecture, and invites people of all ages to meet up close to the history of a neoclassical building from 1905, as well as the treasures hidden inside. From works of art by El Greco and Yannis Tsarouchis to Lucas Samaras and Chryssa, rare editions of Greek Enlightenment works and non-Greek books by Western European travelers from the 15th to the 19th century to the first editions of Homer's “Odyssey” and “Iliad” and the piano of Maria Callas from the yacht “Christina” owned by Aristotle Onassis, the public can discover all the above in back-to-back tours (lasting 20 minutes approximately) that will take place on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This year, for the second time, the Cavafy Archive joins the endeavor with its building, in the neighborhood of Plaka, inviting the wider public to discover the space where the personal collection of objects belonging to the poet C.P. Cavafy is housed, as well as a collection of artworks with references to the poet.

In the Cavafy Archive at 16 Frynichou Street, inside the listed building of 1910, among photographs of the poet and his family, vases, frames, a copy of his glasses, his desk, and other small and large objects, six portraits of Cavafy made by his contemporaries stand out, while in the "Athens of Cavafy" hall, the public can navigate through a selection of archival documents, including diary pages, numerous letters, newspaper clippings, and periodicals from the era, shedding light on Cavafy's multiple relationships with the city of Athens. All these and more so can be discovered by every visitor on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ONASSIS LIBRARY

Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, 2025
11:00–15:00

56 Amalias Avenue, Athens

Free admission. No reservation is required.
Submitting the application of interest is required. Please ensure that you have an official identification document with you.
The duration of the consecutive tours is 20 minutes.

CAVAFY ARCHIVE

Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, 2025
12:00–18:00

Frynichou 16B, Plaka, 10558

Free admission. No reservation is required.
Please ensure that you have an official identification document with you.
The duration of the consecutive tours is 20 minutes.