Maria Callas Museum Review: A Hidden Athens Gem 

I wouldn’t classify myself as an opera person by any means. I do, however, love music and a good museum.

Alongside Travel Vibe, the biggest travel blogger community in Greece, I had the chance to be among the first to visit the new Maria Callas Museum in Athens – the first one of its kind.

And I absolutely loved it.

The exhibition itself was great, the history really interesting, and the interactive part did more than enough to captivate someone with a really bad attention span like me.

And don’t get me started on the museum’s cafe serving Maria’s favourite bitter (yes, bitter) alcoholic beverage.

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Who was Maria Callas?

To be fair, I did not know much about Maria Callas myself before visiting the museum, but it did a very good job explaining everything.

Maria Callas was an Greek soprano born in New York City, and is widely considered one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century.

Unlike many opera singers of her time, she combined an extraordinary vocal range with emotional intensity and a strong sense of theatricality in her performances.

Well, there is also a more infamous side of her life mostly linked to her romantic and family relationships, which the museum does not explore in much depth (that’s fair).

The Second floor exhibition

I’d recommend starting on the second floor and then slowly finding your way down.

I was very pleased to see that on the second floor entrance there is a dictionary with information about the classic roles in opera.

And knowing almost nothing about the genre, I found it pretty enlightening.

Inside, there are three amazingly decorated rooms that simulate scenes from her iconic roles in Norma, Tosca, and La Traviata.

In Tosca, Callas portrayed a passionate opera singer, which, fair enough, felt very fitting. Her interpretation is still considered one of the finest in opera history.

Norma was Vincenzo Bellini’s tragic opera about a priestess caught in a love triangle.

Lastly, in La Traviata, Callas shone as Violetta, a courtesan torn between love and social expectations.

I don’t know if it was just me, but I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the characters she portrayed and her real life.

Then, in a fourth room, you can watch footage of Callas teaching students at the Juilliard School in New York in 1971-72.

Well, I am not done yet, because the floor also has a balcony with partial views towards the Acropolis which you’re free to enjoy, and it was an awesome addition.

The first Floor exhibition

The first floor takes a more factual approach.

We got the chance to learn more about Callas’ childhood in WWII Athens, her (not so healthy) relationship with her mother, and the people that played a significant role in her life.

I think the best part of the museum was the interactive technology, which the museum clearly takes pride in.

We listened to Callas performing famous arias, watched videos, interviews and much more.

The museum also has a collection of more than a thousand pieces of memorabilia, personal belongings, and recordings. Out of all of them, my favorites were the costumes worn by Callas during her performances.

Interestingly, one of the exhibits is a lock of her hair, kept by her stylist, which is not creepy at all.

Try the Museum’s café

Before leaving the museum, we headed to the café on the ground floor.

The design is simple and modern, but the highlight is the “Divina” cocktail, which was Callas’ favourite.

We were told that she liked it very bitter, but they changed it a bit so that it would be more pleasant to visitors.

It was, indeed.

If you do drink alcohol, I really believe that you should try It.

The café It is open for both visitors and non-visitors, so you can head there even if you don’t want to explore the museum.

Opening Hours – Tickets

The museum is open Tuesdays-Sundays 10:00-18:00, and on Fridays 10:00-20:00.

Entry tickets cost €10 ($11).

There are also organised tours available from time to time, at a total cost of €14 per person.

While I do not think one is necessary, since the museum already does a very good job explaining everything, it is still useful to know the option is there in case you would like a deeper insight.

Final Thoughts

The Maria Callas Museum is certainly more niche, but I found it to be one of my favourites in Athens.

Still, there are plenty of museums in the Greek capital, and most of them are worth a visit.

I know it can feel a bit overwhelming, which is why I put together this guide to the best museums in Athens, where I explain which ones are best suited to different kinds of visitors.