A Sunday in a Museum
Last Sunday our team met in Τhe Benaki Museum, just before the Christmas holidays, to spend a bright, festive Sunday evaluating the place in a so called ‘’busy day’’ and taking advantage of the numerous offers at the Shop for our gifts and many culinary surprises in the spirit of the days.
And a busy day it was indeed. We arrived in the morning and we stayed until early in the afternoon. The museum was full of joy, laughter and noise, but the good kind of noise, the one that indicates people’s good time.
The central courtyard had become a playground for children, while the parents were enjoying their coffee in the cafeteria. The children were always in sight since the courtyard is build in such a way as to ensure maximum visibility for the visitor and flexibility in the utilisation of space.
We took the chance to talk to some of the parents and ask them about their experience in the Museum and if they are regular customers or their visit was an onetime thing. The strictly non-smoking policy that the museum has is a huge factor for them since as they say ‘’it creates a very healthy and clean environment for children’’. In addition to that, the changing tables that are established in the women bathrooms, makes it a perfect getaway place for a family with underage kids.
What surprised as the most was the fact that visitors came to stay. The coffee tables fast became lunch tables and the coffee mugs were replaced with delicious plates. It came to our understanding that the families came to have a day in the museum and not just a visit. The affordable prices of the restaurant, the clean and secured ‘’playground’’, the intellectual spirit of the Museum and the countless exhibitions, make it the perfect place for a family Sunday.
Another thing to point out is the store. Fully functional and equipped with unique exhibition material, the store makes the perfect place for someone who is looking for something more special for a Christmas gift. It is not your average jewelry store. In this time of year you can also find Christmas ornament to decorate your house or your Christmas tree in a more sophisticated way.
To sum up, our visit was great, we had a good time and we got a lot of insight about the Museum that will help us fulfill our challenge. The spatial organisation and the style of the building aim to create a place where a short simple visit will not suffice. Thus the building operates throughout the day, offering visitors comfortable conditions for their visit and an opportunity to attend alternative events, or just to have a cup of coffee.
Our team: Charis Zarbalas, Frossini Drakouli, Danai Lyrtazi, Martha Davari, Christos Daniilidis
Ours mentor and coordinator: Lida Tsene
