Places to Visit in Thessaloniki: The War Museum

The War Museum of Thessaloniki is a perfect place for weapons enthusiasts and war history buffs. It was first opened to the public in 2000 as a department of the War Museum of Athens. The Museum is housed in a magnificent building designed by the famous Italian architect Vitaliano Posseli and built between 1900 and 1902.

The permanent collections show events which shaped the Modern Greek history from the turn of the 20th century to the liberation of Greece from Nazi occupation at the end of World War II. They include photographs of the times, Greek army, air force and navy uniforms, weapons of the Greek army, replicas of artillery and ships, works of art, maps, paintings, postcards, and similar items from the armies of other Balkan countries.

On the first floor of the museum there is a large and impressive collection of medals, weapons, ammunition, uniforms, and similar artifacts from the Greek army and from the other major European armies. The weapons collection is particularly impressive, particularly in how each exhibit is displayed. Worthy of note is the small arms collection used in various Greek conflicts, ranging from flint lock pistols to the modern assault rifles.

On the second floor there are further collections of uniforms, art, and weapons, but also many life size dioramas of scenes from war, that display uniforms, costumes, flags, and artifacts. The War Museum of Thessaloniki houses the most comprehensive collection of military decorations in all of Greece.

The Museum also hosts a collection of war vehicles. They are on display in the front and the back courtyard of the Museum. The War Vehicle collection includes: small artillery, officers’ transportation vehicles, tanks, a torpedo and an F-5 jet fighter plane.

The most significant artifacts that the Museum houses are certainly those of the exhibition dedicated to the liberation of Thessaloniki in 1912. The Museum proudly displays the first Greek flag to be raised in Thessaloniki after the liberation of the city and the handwritten “Protocol of Surrender” that was signed on the 26th of October, 1912 by the Ottoman General, Hasan Tahsin Pasha, and was delivered to Greece.

Worthy of your attention is the Sofia Vembo exhibition. Sofia Vembo was a famous Greek singer and actress active best known for her performance of patriotic songs during the Greco-Italian War,she played an instrumental role during World War II ensuring the morale of Greece remained high. This collection includes authentic personal relics, original sheet music, costumes and jewelry.

The War Museum of Thessaloniki is located north of the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Byzantine Culture within a small walk-able distance, behind the University of Macedonia in the center of the city. It is a must see place if you are interested in history and military and it is in the center of the city, near the other main locations, so you should not pass the opportunity to visit this museum during your stay in Thessaloniki.

General Information

Address: Grigoriou Lampraki 4, 54636, Thessaloniki

Website: http://warmuseumthess.wix.com

Tel: +30 2310 249803

Working Hours

Summer Hours: 09:00–19:00 , Tuesday-Saturday

Winter Hours: 09:00–17:00 , Tuesday-Saturday

Sunday — National Holidays: 09:00–15:00

Admission Fees

General Admission Fee 3 €

Reduced Admission Fee 1,5 €

This article is brought to you by Zaliki Boutique Hotel Thessaloniki