The event marking the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the War Museum took place on Monday 22 September 2025 with great success.

The event was graced with the presence of the President of the Republic, Mr. Konstantinos Tasoulas, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos – Georgios Dendias, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Athanasios Davakis, the Bishop of Evrypos, Chrysostomos, representing His Grace the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude, His Beatitude Mr. Hieronymos II, the Chief of the General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis, the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief of the General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras PN and the Vice Chief of the General Staff, Vice Admiral (I) Ioannis Kotsakis, representing the Chief of the General Staff, Vice General (I) Demosthenes Gregoriadis.

The celebration was attended by the First and Second Vice-Chairmen of the Board of Directors of the War Museum, Vice Admiral (retired) Alexandros Diakopoulos and Lt.a Ioannis Tzounakos, as well as the Members of the Board Brigadier General (Retired) Michael Chamaz, Brigadier General (Retired) Konstantinos Velentzas, Brigadier General (Retired) Eustathios Potamitis and Rear Admiral (Retired) Panagiotis Laskaridis.

Also present were Deputy Ministers, Secretaries General, Honorary Chiefs, Officers, Petty Officers, as well as a number of guests.

Warm thanks to all those who attended the event and to those who contributed to its organisation. Happy Birthday to the War Museum!

Speech by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Admiral (I) (retired) Konstantinos Karamesini:

Your Excellency, Mr. President of the Republic.

Honorable Minister of National Defence, representative of the Greek Government.

Your Grace, Bishop of Evrypos, representative of the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece

Ministers.

Gentlemen representatives of the leaders of the parties in Parliament, PASOK-Movement for Change, Hellenic Solution, Victory and Eleftherias.

Mr. Chief of the General Staff of the National Defence Staff.

Ladies and Gentlemen Ambassadors

Distinguished members of the Board of Directors of the War Museum.

Gentlemen, Chiefs of the General Staff of the Army, Navy and Mr. Representative of the Chief of the Air Force.

Mr. Chief of the Fire Brigade and representative of the Chief of the Greek Police and the Coast Guard.

Gentlemen Honorary Chiefs.

Gentlemen Secretaries General

Presidents of institutions and organisations.

Former Presidents and members of the Board of Directors of the War Museum.

Gentlemen Presidents of Retired Officers’ Associations and Associations.

Generals, Admirals, Generals.

Ladies and Gentlemen Presidents and staff of the partner museums

Mr. Mayors.

Dear Donors, friends and partners of the War Museum.

Staff of the War Museum.

Representatives of institutions and associations

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests.

I cannot hide the pleasure and the special honour I feel in welcoming you to the War Museum.

In a place where the struggles and sacrifices of our ancestors are highlighted every day and the memories of people who fought for the freedom and independence of our nation are brought to life. In this place, the visitor understands in a very vivid way the agonies and struggles of the Greek, from antiquity to our days, to remain alive and free, prospering in his land.

Today is a day of celebration for the Museum, but also of reflection, as we reflect on the work it has done over the years and the steps that have been taken to protect and promote the relics and through them, the history of our nation. At the same time, it is an opportunity to communicate our ambitions, dreams and plans for the future of our museum.

Our story begins in 1969, when the first thoughts about the establishment of the War Museum in Athens began to take shape.

The building was founded in August 1970, and its inauguration took place in 1975 by Konstantinos Tsatsos, then President of the Republic, in the presence of the Minister of National Defence Evangelos Averof, the first President of the Museum, Major General Stephanos Doukas, and a large number of people.

One of the most important issues, from the very first moment, apart from the construction of the building, was the enrichment of the collections through donations, inheritances and concessions from the Armed Forces, other public bodies, private legal entities and private individuals, as well as through purchases, following the approval of the Board of Directors.

A milestone in the enrichment of the collections was the donation by the Armed Forces Officers’ Club of the collection of the weapons of Peter Saroglou (1860-1930). A body of historical relics extremely rare and unique.

The fruitful partnership between the National Historical Museum and the Historical Ethnological Society of Greece and the War Museum for the development of the collections and the design of the exhibition space was also very important.

The thematic units start from prehistoric times, classical antiquity, the exploits of Alexander the Great and Byzantium.

Then, special emphasis is given to the Revolution of 1821 and the creation of the New Greek State.

The thematic sections on the Macedonian War, the Balkan Wars, the First and Second World Wars, the Cyprus Hall and the extensive reference to our expeditionary corps, with numerous exhibits and expressive media for the specific periods of time, enough to ensure a strong and coherently structured composition.

With full knowledge of these historical facts, it was decided that the mission and aim of the Museum is to highlight the timelessness of the struggles of the Greek nation.

The museum to this day faithfully serves this mission, maintaining its special character as a museum that promotes the historical education of the nation through the history of war.

Gradually, the Museum began to adopt new methods of presentation and interpretation. The narrative was not limited to the presentation of facts and objects, but was also organised along thematic axes, multimedia projections and interactive applications. The use of these technologies allows visitors to virtually tour battlefields, examine objects in 3D and listen to the accounts of people who lived through the events. This makes history accessible and alive for all ages, and creates a link between one’s personal experience and the collective past.

At the same time, the War Museum has over the years established branches in various cities of Greece (Thessaloniki, Chalkida, Nafplio, Tripoli, Kalamata, Chania, Rethymno and the museum “General Zervas’ House” in Metaxourgeio), which, among other things, emphasize local war history, highlighting important battles that took place in each region, or persons of local origin, who distinguished themselves in the struggles of Hellenism.

In addition, the War Museum exhibits important works of art by great Greek and foreign artists, which depict with particular artistic sensitivity the moments of the war, its heroes and its effects on the human soul and society.

The actions and the extroversion of the War Museum contribute to the daily increase in the number of visitors from all age groups, both domestic and international. In recent years, great emphasis has been placed on the educational role of the Museum, with educational programmes, workshops and collaborations with schools and universities. The fact that tens of thousands of students of various levels from all over Greece visit the Museum every year is particularly encouraging and valuable. The authentic documents of history together with modern technologies cultivate the critical thinking of young people, promoting respect for their heritage.

The digital tour guide, the interactive screens, Museum plus, the historical routes, which will also be used for the Military Tourism that the War Museum has undertaken to implement, the digital 3D tour of the Ochira Rupel, Google Art, are some of the tools that have already been integrated into our operation.

The digital room for the games in Moria is another acquisition that adds a special value to our exhibition spaces.

Our rich photographic, historical and cinematographic archive, our enriched library, are tools of knowledge, history and culture. The visitor can browse through treasures, pulling from the shelves rare documents, which refer to our long-suffering land and the greatness of our nation’s achievements. Worthy of mention is our archive on the Great Strategist Alexander the Great.

Building-wise, the energy upgrade is completed by changing the footprint of the building, thus contributing significantly to the national effort to reduce the energy consumption required for our operation.

This brings us to 2025, which is a milestone year for us, as in addition to the 50th anniversary of the Museum’s founding, and a sequence of events to mark this milestone, the Board of Directors has launched a series of innovative initiatives to enrich the experience of our visitors, aiming to upgrade the infrastructure and enhance, as mentioned above, the interaction and updating of this experience.

Through the use of virtual and augmented reality, and modern digital tools, we aim to enhance the educational experience of schoolchildren, students and all visitors, as well as to promote technological innovation in the field of museum education and presentation.

We want our Museum to be a model of coexistence between tradition and the future, ensuring the protection of our precious relics and enhancing learning and research about our history and our heavy heritage.

Moreover, in order to further develop our extroversion, we promote collaborations with museums and cultural institutions both in Greece and abroad. Through joint activities, exhibit exchanges and educational programs, we aim to create international cooperation networks that will strengthen our presence in Greece and abroad and offer new opportunities for the dissemination of our history.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Imperial War Museum in London, one of the largest war museums in the world, opens new perspectives in our extroversion. We have already agreed on actions such as: Holding a joint Pan-European War Museum Conference here in Athens next year. We are proceeding with the action for training of our museum staff at the Imperial War Museum, which will start around the end of October. We have agreed to the joint preparation of studies and publication of a volume dedicated to the Second World War period and we are discussing other possible actions.

The presence of the Minister of National Defence at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding, last April, at the IWM headquarters in London, reflects the great importance that the Ministry and its leadership attach to the development of our museum and its innovative actions. At the same time, we are in talks with other major museums in Europe to expand the history and culture network.

Half a century of contribution to Greek history and heritage. Half a century full of steady steps and successes. This milestone fills us with pride and gives us the strength to continue our work, with passion and vision for the presence of our Museum in the cultural and historical life of the country.

Our vision is a museum that is modern, friendly, accessible, communicative, outward-looking, a museum that will withstand the challenges for at least the next half century of its operation.

In order to realise our vision, the Board of Directors commissioned studies for the complete museological upgrade of our exhibition spaces to a reputable museological team in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum.

This study examines and will redefine in a contemporary way the permanent exhibitions of our museum, so that they correspond to the museological trends of the time and of the future.

At the same time, the museographic and architectural study of the entire building has been entrusted to a specialized architectural office of the country, in order to study the internal and partly the external reconfiguration of the building’s operation and architectural upgrade.

We are pleased to have at our disposal a first very realistic proposal for the building possibilities arising from these studies, which we would like to enthusiastically and enthusiastically share with you.

The new building program, after the reconfiguration of the spaces, adds to the museum’s operation:

• Increase of the surface of the permanent exhibition by 700sq.m.
• Creating educational and multi-purpose spaces.
• Creation of a gallery space.
• Creation of a new space for temporary exhibitions.

At the same time, the surface of the Museum’s entrance is increased by 500 sq.m. with the integration of the atrium into the enclosed areas of the museum, which is planned to be covered with an illuminated bioclimatic roof, thus creating:

• A new reception area, ticket office and checkpoints and access to the exhibition areas.
• Creation of a retail space.
• Refreshment room.
• Open Library.
• Possibility of using the entrance foyer as an event space.

Also:

• The Amphitheatre and the foyer in front of it are being redesigned.
• And finally, the use of the building’s Doma is being considered.

Along with the museological and architectural upgrading of the premises, the Board of Directors is proceeding with the study of the creation of an area that will serve as a pole of attraction for the city of Athens, in the open space above Polis Park, covering an area of approximately 4.5 acres, which the Museum has secured and leased from the Public Real Estate Company for a period of 15+5 years. A sustainable space for the expression of history, culture and entertainment, which we envision and want to make a reality, with actions that embrace the family with a focus on the child (the future of our country).

We have the capacity, the will and the passion to realise this vision, financing the whole project from private resources.

In the face of these challenges, I invite you all to continue with the same dedication and with an eye to the future, to ensure that the War Museum remains a living institution of knowledge, respect and pride for Greece, its citizens and their heritage.

At this point, I would like to thank you all for your honorable presence at today’s event, which gives us great pleasure and proves the prestige and acceptance that the War Museum enjoys from the state, the Greek society and the international community.

Special thanks are due to His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr.Konstantinos Tasoulas, who honours with his presence our current event and to the Honorable Minister of National Defence, Mr.Nikolaos Dendias, for his trust, interest and valuable assistance to our Museum.

To the Chief of the General Staff of the National Defence Staff and the Chiefs of the General Staff for their undivided help and their love for the War Museum.

A big thank you to the members of the Board of Directors of the War Museum for their selfless contribution to the work of the Museum and their perseverance and willingness for its further development in the areas mentioned above.

To our dear donors and to the countless friends of our museum, a big thank you as well as to the Friends of the War Museum.

I would also like to express my gratitude to all the Boards of Directors and the staff with whom they have cooperated in the course of the War Museum since its establishment.

Finally, a warm thank you to our staff, to the War Museum in Athens and to our 8 branches across the country, for their daily struggle to achieve our goals.

Happy Birthday to our War Museum and always with success.

Thank you very much.