Go beyond The Greeks at the National Hellenic Museum, in Chicago

By NEO Magazine on September 26, 2015

Beginning November 25, the world of ancient Greece will come to Chicago with a spectacular once-in-a-generation exhibition at The Field Museum along with compelling companion programs and exhibitions at the National Hellenic Museum in Greektown. The National Hellenic Museum is co-presenter of The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great, a special exhibition that will be on display at The Field Museum from Thanksgiving weekend until April 10, 2016. It’s an historic opportunity to experience and learn about the ancient Greeks through an exhibition of more than 500 priceless treasures from 21 Greek museums. Many of the objects have never been displayed outside of Greece.

This will be the largest exhibition of its kind to tour North America in 25 years and will make only one other stop in the United States. The exhibition is presented largely through the lens of the ancient Greeks themselves – some recognizable, and some unnamed – as the objects from their lives provide insight into the roles they played within their respective societies.

The Greeks exhibition is made possible in part by a generous donation from The John P. Calamos Foundation, and John P. Calamos, Sr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the National Hellenic Museum.

“The National Hellenic Museum is the premier Greek cultural institution in North America, and it is a privilege to co-sponsor this exhibition, which will be of great value to those of Greek heritage as well as to those who recognize the pivotal contributions ancient Greeks made to our current society, democracy, and western culture,” says John P. Calamos, Sr.

The Greeks exhibition at The Field Museum was developed by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs (Athens, Greece), The Field Museum (Chicago, USA), the National Geographic Museum (Washington, DC, USA), Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex (Montréal, Canada), and the Canadian Museum of History (Gatineau, Canada).

The National Hellenic Museum will offer a rich cultural program of exhibitions, events, and activities showcasing the enduring universal relevance of Greek history and culture in collaboration with eminent scholars and cultural institutions from around the country and abroad. Events include The Trial of Antigone in March at The Field Museum with the legal dream team of Patrick Fitzgerald, Bob Clifford, Patrick Collins, and Dan Webb, and a program in collaboration with the Chicago Humanities Festival on Greek citizenship and politics by moral philosopher Martha Nussbaum.

The Greeks exhibition is made possible in part by a generous donation from The John P. Calamos Foundation, and John P. Calamos, Sr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the National Hellenic Museum. Here with his wife Mae, PHOTO: DIMITRIOS PANAGOS

Visitors to the National Hellenic Museum are invited to explore the landscape and architecture of Greece through two new exhibitions that will run from November 2015 to May 2016.

On the first floor, Tourism Landscapes: Remaking Greece will explore the role of tourism and architecture as vehicles for the modernization of Greece. This exhibition presents and examines examples of ways in which architecture is shaping a future Greek national identity.

On the second floor, the exhibition Aegean – Creation of an Archipelago will explore the evolution and geology of Homer’s “wine dark sea” and its dazzling islands through digital and audiovisual material, as well as tangible artifacts that include underwater findings, ancient fossils, and a 14-meter petrified tree trunk.

Greek history and culture will be examined through unique discussions, debates, performances, staged readings, and other events that provide a forum for conversation, self-reflection, and entertainment. Topics will encompass a vast range of issues, both ancient and contemporary.

Guests to the National Hellenic Museum are always invited to learn more about the legacy of Greek immigrants in more modern times, through the Museum’s collection of objects and stories about the Greek American immigrant experience.

Tickets to the National Hellenic Museum are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, and $7 for children 3-12 years. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information on the Museum their website is nationalhellenicmuseum.org.

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