About the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum

If you find yourself in Athens, Greece, you know that visiting the Acropolis is a must. On the southern portion of this historic monument you find the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum. Situated on the corner of Karyatidon and Kallisperi Streets, the unassuming building houses a collection of more than 4,000 jewels and diminutive sculptures. Of these, about 3,000 pieces were made between 1940 and 2000.

At the heart of the collection is the passion of Greek jewelry designer Ilias Lalaounis. The overwhelming majority of the pieces comes from Lalaounis’ own designs and 50 collections that encompass more than 17,000 works of wearable and display art. A number of the displayed pieces are donated by artisans and collectors from around the globe. The building itself is part of Greece’s jewelry-making history as well. Lalaounis used the building as his first workshop.

The museum opened in 1993. Later alterations to the space took into account the various programs the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum would offer to Athens’ residents and visitors. There are children’s programs, lectures and hands-on activities that teach the dying art of old-fashioned goldsmith work. The collections are broken down into six categories:

The Golden Dawn of Art. It contains artful representations that clearly have Paleolithic/Neolithic motif works. Some are inspired by archeological finds of Europe’s prehistoric period. 

The History of Ancient Greek Art. Find pieces that feature the Athenian owl, Byzantine amphorae and neo-geometric designs. Here, you find earrings and necklaces that bespeak the Byzantine and Minoan eras.

Jewelry Inspired from Other Civilizations. Mesopotamia, Cyprus and the Vikings inspired these jewels. Some pieces have clear roots in the designs of the Tudors, pre-Columbian artisans and jewelry markers associated with Suleiman the Magnificent.

Collections Inspired from Nature. Insects, wild flowers and sea shells have offered up interesting design options for the artist. Some pieces are intricate and lifelike while others showcase style versus nature’s realism.

Collections Inspired from Space, Biology and Modern Technology. In this section, you find galaxies and stars, DNA and the Zodiac. Artistic and symbolic all at once, these designs feature Lalaounis’ craftsmanship at its finest along with pieces by Katerini and Maria Lalaounis.

Special Commissions and Private Collections. It is here that you have the opportunity to enjoy objets d’art such as swords and other creations.

Temporary exhibits keep the museum fresh for dedicated visitors. They feature the works of contemporary Greek painters, bags and purses as well as artistic pieces inspired by folk traditions and holidays. It is interesting to note that the museum not only houses priceless works of art and varied collections of older and modern artisans, but it also serves as a meeting venue near the Acropolis for business functions and private gatherings.

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