The Department of Educational Programmes
The Benaki Museum was the first Greek museum to offer educational programmes for children, creating the Department of Educational
Programmes in 1978.
These programmes are aimed at pupils of primary and secondary schools and focus on the Museum collections of Prehistoric, Ancient Greek,
Roman, Byzantine, post-Byzantine and neo-Hellenic (Post-Byzantine secular Greek) artefacts, as well as paintings, drawings and prints.
Schoolchildren between the ages of four and seventeen are introduced to Greek culture and contemporary art through the use
of audio-visual
equipment and specially produced materials while, at the same time, they become acquainted with the Museum environment. Museum educators
bring the exhibits to life, encouraging children to make observations, ask questions, express opinions and act independently. The programmes
can be adapted to cater for individuals with special needs.
The Department maintains close working ties with teachers and educational experts. It loans out
materials to prepare for Museum visits and
organises special educational tours, which permit teachers to guide their own groups around the Museum. The Department also has the capacity
to arrange for teachers to borrow related publications and museum kits.
Additionally, visitors from schools and educational authorities are invited to familiarise themselves with the Benaki Museum's permanent
and temporary exhibitions on their own, using supervisory material provided by the Department of Educational Programmes.
The Department publishes books and games, and organises special workshops for children visiting independently
and not as part of a
group. For adults, there are studio-based courses, which aim to preserve traditional Greek arts and crafts.
The Department's activities extend beyond the bounds of the Benaki Museum organising outreach programmes in other cities and
towns throughout Greece in conjunction with local museum authorities, as is the case
with the "'Melina' Project: Education and Culture".
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