Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology

Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology

Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology
5
Speciality MuseumsPoints of Interest & LandmarksScience MuseumsChildren's MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology in the heart of Athens. In a unique historic Art Nouveau building (Unfortunately there is no access for people with disabilities because the building has been listed and unfortunately no relevant intervention can be made), Pindarou 6 and Akadimias St. in Kolonaki, with a total area of 700 square meters, guests will have the unique opportunity to get to know a relatively unknown aspect of Ancient Greek culture through the exhibition "The Hi-Tech Inventions of Ancient Greece – The origins of our modern technology", which includes approximately 100 selected exhibits, reconstructed inventions, from the robot-servant and the "cinema" of Philon to the automatic theater of Heron, and from the Hydraulic Clock of Ktesibios to the Antikythera Mechanism. At the same time, the same building will permanently house the independent exhibition of Ancient Greek Musical Instruments with 42 fully functional, reassembled reconstructed musical instruments.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Kolonaki
How to get there
  • Nomismatokopio • 3 min walk
  • Syntagma • 5 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • ccl27
    Bristol, United Kingdom43 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great little museum
    Great little museum! This is a very interesting museum, each piece of the technology was described in detail and videos also shown to demonstrate how the technology works. However the live demo by Vera was fantastic! Vera explained everything clearly and was very enthusiastic and happy to show us the different technologies, she brought the technologies to life for us. Thanks Vera!
    Thank you for your review! We are glad you have enjoyed your visit! Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 27 May 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Robert R
    Cambridge, Massachusetts14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    How the ancient Greeks solved complex mechanical problems with simple clever machines and devices
    The Museum of Ancient Technology is a brilliant and fascinating display of what clever engineer-philosophers could do with water, air, gravity, string, fire, and brain power to build machines for vending a cup of wine, telling time, lifting immense weights, and even flying. The devices have been built meticulously from the written descriptions. Many of them are hands-on and the others are demonstrated by eager and knowledgable docents. This is an excellent visit for adults and children.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 October 2023
  • 45DeL
    Hopewell Junction, New York40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Learn ancient technology
    Great place to learn about ancient Greek technology. It was fascinating to see how they made a "robot", hoisting machine, alarm clock, and burglar alarm. Tour guides show people exactly how the devices worked and were very friendly and informative. Good for children and adults. One can touch and use many objects. I highly recommend it.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 October 2023
  • John V
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just go visit.
    The museum just keeps on giving. From interactive attributes like reconstructed inventions and instruments, to little puzzles and games. We got a tour from one of the guides for free. The guide was very professional and very kind as well. All in all a no-brainer for anyone interested in history or just a fun (educational) afternoon.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 23 October 2023
  • Emma B
    Adelaide, Australia10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great learning experience for an 11yr old who is obsessed with technology.
    We visited this museum as part of another tour. It was a perfect choice for myself and 11yr old son who is obsessed with technology. We were on holiday for quite some time so choosing this museum was a great way to educate him on Greeces inventions. We had a guided tour of the museum which was also perfect because each exhibit was broken down and explained in a language that was easy for him to understand. My son has ADHD and the guided tour kept him engaged for the time of the tour, which is outstanding for a child with this condition.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Jamie L
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to visit.
    An absolutely amazing experience. This is exactly how a science/engineering museum should be run. The staff were enthusiastic to demonstrate how the devices work and were able to answer all the questions asked. There were exhibits that you could interact with, which really showed how they worked. This is the perfect place to visit for anyone scientifically/engineering/mathematically inclined. It is great for children of all ages too.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 29 October 2023
  • Ispdet
    Huntington, Indiana76 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Surprisingly Hidden Jewel
    This little museum is packed with many items of history with lots of documentation. Sad that we weren’t allowed to take pictures. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful, demonstrating some of the displays. We would recommend this stop to anyone visiting the area.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 November 2023
  • DinFrance
    Stroud, United Kingdom551 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cracking. So incredibly interesting
    Genuinely, we just found ourselves passing by and decided to go in. Simply stunning - i really had no idea the ancient Greeks had actually 'invented'/made(?) time-telling machines i.e. advanced clocks, door alarms. I will re-watch the latest Indiana Jones with a bit more belief now! How did they work this all out? Beyond me. Very interesting. Confess found the musical instruments (upstairs) less so and maybe would not have bought the wider ticket to see that. But incredible museum. Staff very eager to explain.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 15 November 2023
  • 975rebecca
    Cleveland, Ohio55 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating Small Museum
    Our family was looking for something smaller to visit our first day in Athens, while we were still exhausted from the overnight flight. This museum fit the bill, perfectly! We thought it was fabulous! To be fair, we are all kind of nerdy folks who love learning :) If you are a math and science aficionado - or a musician or engineer - you will love it too!. So many incredible inventions from the Greeks - from alarm clocks and door bells, to advanced weaponry and religious experiences. It is smallish, but full of things to learn. Cost of exhibits is reasonable, and staff explain many of the interesting pieces.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 November 2023
  • Yannis P
    Athens, Greece9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great family experience
    Amazing family experience. Hands on exhibits. Try the private tour guide. It's not that expensive. The people working there seem to be enjoying what theybare doing. A very clever museum. It demonstrates the intelligence of Anvient Greeks.
    Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
    Written 3 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles717 reviews
Excellent
678
Very good
34
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
4

Alexander Karayannis
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
Ever wondered where and when the world's first analogue computer came about or the first robot servant,or even where the very first security alarm system was invented,then the place to be is Athens,Greece and more specifically the relatively recently opened to the public(January 2018) museum of Ancient Greek Technology,which will explain all...Together with waaay ahead for their time surgical instruments,and an additional exhibit of musical instruments of some 2000 years ago,in very accurate,reliable, fully functioning reconstructions of all pieces mentioned,young and old are sure to be amazed and fascinated.A fantastic place to spend an hour or two in the busy, bustling city,with no shortage of attractions,for all tastes,ages,interests,and not just in the Summer,but all year round.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for you kind words. We are glad you have enjoyed our Museum!
Written 17 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Alex M
Toronto, Canada1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
Very happy we went there. Exceeded our expectations. Not too big, but most of the artifacts are interactive. The young people working at the desk were very happy to guide us and explain the various artifacts. Going through this museum you realize how close the ancient Greeks came to discovering the steam engine and how close we were to having the industrial revolution two millennia before it actually happened.
Written 23 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for you kind words. We are glad you have enjoyed our Museum!
Written 17 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bijil
Chichester, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Went to see this museum, upon the recommendation of a Walk tour guide, Sam. Wow, never expected it to be so good. Instead of the usual museum stuff like pictures and old replicas, they had working, interactive models, which left us a with a feeling of learned a lot about ancient Greek thinking and their awareness of physics, from 6th Century BC. Not just me, my family including children, loved it. The charges were very reasonable, which included the price of a knowledgeable, guide Dimitri- who explained every thing at our pace and souvenirs were of good quality. Overall, I would give must see, [although less publicised] item in Greece.
Written 31 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review! We are glad you have enjoyed your visit at our Museum! Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
Written 4 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lori
Hofheim am Taunus, Germany10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Couples
This was so much fun! Learned a lot about how smart the ancient Greeks were. But for an unfortunate turn of events, we almost had the Industrial Revolution 2000 years earlier and not in England. Wow! Our your house Maria was charming and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend this small museum, especially for people with children of all ages (wish we had brought our teenager).
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review! We are glad you have enjoyed your visit to our Museum!
Written 29 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

pmw44
Bath, UK75 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023
We enjoyed our visit to the museum. It was quite small - the whole visit only took around two hours and we read all of the signage etc. The best bit was the demonstration of the Antikythera mechanism - we had seen the fragments on display in the archaeological museum but this helped us to really understand how it worked and how amazing it really was! Quite a lot of hands on displays for children and good videos providing further information about how various inventions worked. It was something interesting and different to do, after a week of visiting a lot of ancient sites and archaeological museums but tied in well with our understanding of ancient Greece. Just as a note - the prices on the website were less than we paid to visit all three of the exhibitions and there is also no longer a cafe on the site (although there is a good one just over the road). The timings didn't work for us but I think it would be worth taking the tour as the guides were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Written 15 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

christosdimit2018
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Family
Amazing museum that we could explore the ancient technologies. We spent very nice time with the family ( 2 teens 10&13) and the museum is very interactive. We highly recommend to book a guided tour to get the full experience from a well trained personnel. Thank you Christos
Written 5 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leo D
29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
Visited the one in Katakolon. Though online hours said they were closed that day, the curator said they open whenever a cruise ship docks. GO HERE!! I have been to many, many museums, but I have never been given such a fantastic tour. Unasked, the curator offered to demonstrate the many fascinating replicas of ancient inventions. Though it is a small museum, each exhibit is absorbing. The shop is tiny, but you can buy miniature replicas of the inventions and games. This was an unexpected find and a highlight of my vacation. Admission is FREE, but I recommend making a donation to this educational little corner of this port. Note: It is walking distance from the cruise dock, so no taxi necessary!!
Written 12 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
Written 27 May 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Megan20142014
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
Once you've had a walk around some of the ancient sites in Athens, then take a trip to this museum. It will answer your questions such as "How did they get those large stones all the way up there?" and "Just how advanced were these ancient Greeks?" There are some astounding working models to be seen here - the first robot, the first door alarm, systems for moving tons of stone, instruments that predicted eclipse timings etc. There is also an musical instrument exhibition including the first organ, you can also play some of the instruments. Very helpful staff to show you around and the chance to wander yourself. It's not the biggest museum, but we spent quite a long time there as it was so interesting and there's just so much to take in.
Written 4 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind words! We are glad you have enjoyed your visit at our Museum!
Written 7 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TrailBlazer562978
11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Surprisingly for a non-technological person, this is the best museum I visited in Athens. All the ruins had made me curious: How did the ancient Greeks build such beautiful structures as the Parthenon and the theatre at Epidaurus? This new (2 years old) hands on museum explains so much, putting the architectural achievements in a context of rational thinking and experiment that lasted many centuries and produced such clever gadgets as a coin-operated vending machine and a house alarm with a whistling bird, a robotic drinks waiter, long-distance warning systems, navigation and astronomical instruments. The museum with its many models is a joy to young and old. It has guides keen to talk both to school groups and to solo visitors in Greek or English.
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for you kind words. We are glad you have enjoyed our Museum!
Written 17 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rosa Maria R
18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022
A total MUST in Athens. Anyone interested in robotics, automates, application of simple laws such as gravity, communicating vessels, winch-mediated weight lifting, and patents in the ancient multicultural Greek world needs to see this museum (best with a museum guide!). I will awe you for hours! Discovering Philon's servant or seeing the Antikythera mechanism in place felt like being in a hyper-technological space that sadly got lost and forgotten in time. We need more of these physical laws into patents now more than ever!
Written 20 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great review and your kind words about our Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the reconstructed inventions of the ancient time. Hope you have the chance to visit our Museum once again in the future!
Written 21 February 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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KOTSANAS MUSEUM OF ANCIENT GREEK TECHNOLOGY (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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