Leventis Municipal Museum
Leventis Municipal Museum
Leventis Municipal Museum
Leventis Municipal Museum
As the first historical museum of Cyprus, the Leventis Municipal Museum presents the history and social development of the city of Nicosia from the Chalcolithic (c. 3000 BC) through the Medieval and Ottoman eras to the present day.
The Museum’s History
Following an agreement with the Municipality of Nicosia in 1984, the Foundation bought and renovated a neo-classical listed building on Ippoctratous Street. In 1986, an Association of the Friends of the Museum was formed to assist in the acquisition of the Museum’s collections and by 1989, the Municipality and the Foundation opened the Museum to the public. In 1991, it received the European Museum of the Year Award.
In 2002 and 2008 two additional buildings at the rear and adjacent to the main building were purchased by the Foundation enabling the Museum to double the exhibition space available as well as permitting the display of a more comprehensive range of the Museum’s collection.
The Museum’s Collections
Collections represent over 5,000 years of Nicosia’s history, with a wide range of archaeological artefacts, costumes, photographs, a large important collection of medieval pottery mostly of the sgrafito genre (glazed and engraved ware), ancient and modern maps, engravings, jewels and furniture, rare publications and paintings assembled from donations, private collections and from the Foundation’s sponsorship.
Exhibitions and educational events
Throughout the year, the Museum hosts exhibitions, lectures, educational programmes and other events. Visit the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia website to find out more.
Leventis Municipal Museum Annual Lectures
Noteworthy is the Museum’s series of annual lectures, initiated in 2002, in memory of the Foundation’s first Chairman, Constantine Leventis, all of which are available as monographs in our publications.