History

The Byzantine Museum of Kastoria is founded in 1989 and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Kastoria. The founding of the Museum was coming as a result of years of efforts in order to house the unique collection of Byzantine panel icons, which until then was gathered –for reasons of protection- to the Church of Aghios Spyridon. Alongside the storage and the presentation of the exhibits, there was also a need for well-organized conservation laboratories.

For the mounting of the first exhibition were cooperated the staff of the former 16th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities (supervisor Joachim Papagelo and architect Kleopatra Theologidou), with Efthymios Tsigarida, Professor of Faculty of Theology of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

The project team was responsible for the museological final planning and had the overall scientific responsibility of the project. From the available exhibition material were selected only panel icons, in order to highlight the essential position of Kastoria as a key centre of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting.

The founding and the operation of the Byzantine Museum has contributed to the systematic preservation, study and archiving of this unique group of panel icons. Also gives the opportunity to presenting the museum collection –through lending- to international touring exhibitions around the world.