Museum of Asian Art of Corfu
The Museum of Asian Art in Corfu was founded in 1928 as the “Museum of Sino-Japanese Art,” following the donation of Gregorios Manos’ Asian collection to the Greek state.
From its early years, it became a unique cultural institution in Greece dedicated exclusively to Asian art and antiquities.
Over time, the museum was significantly enriched through additional donations, expanding its scope beyond Chinese and Japanese art. Today, it houses approximately 15,000 works of Asian art from private collections and individual contributions. A major milestone was the 1973 Hadjivassiliou donation, which added around 400 works from India, Pakistan, Tibet, Siam (Thailand), and Southeast Asia. This broadened the museum’s original focus and led to its renaming as the Museum of Asian Art.
The museum is housed in the Palace of St. Michael and St. George in Corfu, making it the only museum of its kind in Greece devoted entirely to Asian art and antiquities. It has gained international recognition, with selected objects from its collections being featured in major exhibitions worldwide.
The Chinese collection alone includes about 3,500 items, most of which come from the Gregorios Manos collection, while a significant portion of Chinese porcelain originates from the Christos Chiotakis collection. The exhibits include pottery, porcelain, bronze artworks, sculptures, cloisonné objects, lacquerware, ivory carvings, miniatures, traditional clothing, jewellery, and coins. A selection of the Chinese collection is displayed in the east wing of the first floor.
