An Art Lover’s Guide to Thessaloniki

Set in a renovated port warehouse, the MOMus–Thessaloniki Museum of Photography is the only state-run museum in Greece dedicated entirely to photography. The institution has its own archive of around 90,000 photos by Greek and international artists, but also collaborates with organizations across Greece and the world to produce shows on subjects as varied as the #MeToo movement, landscapes, and crisis reporting. Should you like your images with a little more motion, the museum is handily located right next to the Thessaloniki Cinema Museum. If being in front of the camera is more your style, then Thessaloniki could be the backdrop to your very own photoshoot.

With street art subjects as diverse as economics and goats (we are in Greece, after all), Thessaloniki is a living canvas. Although you’ll naturally encounter vibrant murals as you wander, any walking tour of Thessaloniki street art should take in political artist BLU’s evocative mural on the wall of an Aristotle University dorm, showing a Parthenon made of euros collapsing. Don’t miss The Girl on Tsimiski Street, a collaboration between Chinese street artist DALeast and the South African street artist Faith47 on the theme of violence against women. For public art of the sculptural kind, check out George Zongolopoulos’s ever-Instagrammable Umbrellas installation on the promenade.

When it comes to contemporary art in Thessaloniki, there is—perhaps unsurprisingly—no better place to start than the MOMus–Museum of Contemporary Art. The city’s primary contemporary art institution boasts a diverse permanent collection of works by Greek and foreign artists, along with a rich timetable of exhibitions that have spanned self-portraits by photography giant Martin Parr and intriguing thematic group shows.

Should you like your contemporary art extra edgy, head down to MOMus’ cool waterside location at the old port to check out the MOMus–Experimental Center for the Arts, whose roster of up-and-coming artists are at the forefront of creative innovation.

The award-winning Museum of Byzantine Culture is among the top cultural attractions in Thessaloniki. With a permanent exhibition of more than 3,000 artifacts (from a collection of more than 40,000) dating from the 2nd century AD all the way up to the 20th century, it spans not only the Byzantine period itself but also its emergence and legacy. But this museum is not just for history enthusiasts: it’s also a must-visit for art lovers. Frescoes, mosaics, icons, and sculptures all await art aficionados willing to step back in time. For the ultimate afternoon of history, pair your Byzantine odyssey with a trip next door to the Archaeological Museum.

A visit to the Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation means a visit to Greece’s largest university, the grandly named Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Opened on campus in 1999, the art museum was named after Nestor and Aliki Telloglou, collectors and philanthropists who donated their art collection to the university. Though a prime spot for experiencing Greek art in Thessaloniki, the collection also contains works by European artists from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Housed in the grand Casa Bianca mansion (built 1911–1913)—one of Thessaloniki’s most recognizable buildings, known as a fine example of eclecticism in architecture—the Municipal Art Gallery of Thessaloniki holds an even greater bounty within. Though perhaps best known for its 3,000-strong collection of Byzantine icons and extensive works by local Thessaloniki artists (from sculptures to engravings), it’s the roster of temporary exhibitions, featuring both Greek and international artists, that brings many art lovers through the building’s (early 20th-century) doors. Better still, admission is free.

On an unassuming street just outside the center of town lies something quite extraordinary: one of the largest private collections of Russian avant-garde art in the world. Greek-Russian art collector, George Costakis, amassed thousands of works—determined to rediscover, and recover, the Suprematist and Constructivist art that had been discarded or forgotten during the Soviet era in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Although half of his collection remains in the care of Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery, the Greek State bought the more than 12,500 remaining works. Today, you can head to the Stavroupoli neighborhood to pore over parts of that exceptional collection, as well as modernist works by Greek and international artists.

Beyond the bigger galleries and museums, any Thessaloniki art tour worth its salt should include some of the city’s smaller, independent spaces. Chief among these, Lola Nikolaou, Nitra, and Chalkos—particularly notable for showing local artists—are non-negotiables when delving into Greek art in Thessaloniki. Some creative hubs combine perusing art with sipping on a craft beer: Start your Thessaloniki night out at Toss Gallery within buzzy, bohemian bar La Doze; or at Beetroot, where a café meets a design-forward shop and art space.

Thessaloniki museums and galleries deliver no matter when you visit, but the city’s creativity shines even brighter if you time your adventure right. Fans of contemporary art, for example, won’t want to miss the Thessaloniki Biennale, which in the past has taken over a wide (and sometimes unexpected) range of locations across the city, from the Eptapyrgio fortress to the National Bank of Greece. For a true photography fix, plan your visit to coincide with the Photography Biennial, while the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and Thessaloniki Documentary Festival are the country’s premier events in the cinematic arts.