Averoff Gallery
The Averoff Art Gallery, located in the mountain town of Metsovo in the region of Epirus, is one of the most important museums of modern Greek art in Greece.
Operating since August 1988, the gallery presents representative works by some of the most significant Greek painters, engravers, and sculptors of the 19th and 20th centuries, including artists such as Nikiforos Lytras, Nikolaos Gyzis, Konstantinos Volanakis, Konstantinos Parthenis, Yiannis Moralis, and many others who shaped the course of modern Greek art.
The gallery was founded by Evangelos Averoff-Tossizza, whose vision was to create a high-quality art museum in his birthplace, Metsovo. The core of the collection consists of approximately 200 artworks by Greek artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, collected and donated by the founder along with the modern three-story building specially constructed to house the collection. Since the collection was assembled specifically for the creation of a museum, the gallery developed from the beginning with a clear museological and educational identity.
In 1994, the gallery expanded with the addition of a new wing that modernized the museum facilities and created additional exhibition and support spaces. The collection was significantly enriched, while in 1995 the gallery established its Children’s Art Workshop, offering educational and creative activities for young visitors. In 1997, the Dimitrios Tsamis Hall was inaugurated, presenting an important collection of engravings and drawings by Greek artists from the period 1920–1960.
The Averoff Art Gallery is not limited to its permanent exhibition. Throughout the year, it organizes important temporary exhibitions, including thematic, retrospective, and group exhibitions, featuring works borrowed from museums and private collections in Greece and abroad. The museum also hosts scientific conferences, lectures, guided tours, educational programs, and artistic workshops, making it an active cultural center for both the local community and visitors.
Accessibility has also become an important priority for the gallery. Thanks to a valuable donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, extensive reconstruction works were completed to improve accessibility, including elevators, ramps, and facilities for visitors with disabilities.
In 2022, the gallery received official recognition from the Greek Ministry of Culture as a certified and recognized museum after meeting national museum standards and technical requirements. Today, more than thirty years after its foundation, the collection has more than doubled in size, while the museum attracts approximately 20,000 visitors annually from across Greece and abroad.
The Averoff Art Gallery remains an important cultural destination where visitors can explore the evolution of modern Greek art while experiencing the unique atmosphere and cultural heritage of Metsovo.
