100 Years - Gennadius Library
This year, we celebrate a remarkable milestone: the centennial of the Gennadius Library. A century after its founding, we honor its legacy through a series of initiatives that reflect its enduring role as a center of scholarship, culture, and public engagement.
At the heart of the celebrations is the centennial exhibition, Gennadius Library 100: A Century of Inspiration, on view in the Makriyannis Wing from April 1 through October 2026. The exhibition traces the Library’s extraordinary journey, from the vision of Joannes Gennadius to its evolution into a leading research institution, highlighting its lasting contribution to the scholarly community.
A commemorative film captures this remarkable trajectory, while an international conference examines the transformation of Gennadius’s private collection into a living repository of culture, knowledge, and scholarship. A public conversation on the relationship between academies and society explores the mission and future of cultural institutions in an age shaped by rapid technological change.
Looking toward the future, the Gennadius Library has also opened its doors to younger generations. Through educational programs and a student competition, high school students are invited to discover the Library’s collections, engage with its rich resources, and explore the continuing relevance of cultural heritage in the modern world.
Together, these initiatives celebrate not only a century of achievement, but also the vibrant future of the Gennadius Library as a place of learning, discovery, and inspiration.
Exhibition “Gennadius Library 100. A Century of Inspiration”
The exhibition presents 100 unique objects from the rich collections of the Gennadius Library—books, manuscripts, works of art, maps, costumes, and rare archival materials—accompanied by photographs and video projections. These items reveal the richness and diversity of the collections that have shaped the identity of the Library for a century.
Each object tells a small yet significant part of the story of the Gennadius Library, from its beginnings to the present day, with a view toward the future. The objective is to bring to life the collections, the spaces, and the people who shaped the Library: directors, librarians, collectors, donors, and researchers.
Beyond the value of the objects themselves, the exhibition also highlights the journey of knowledge they carry, through the personal reflections and testimonies of researchers and fellows inspired by its collections.
Curators:
Maria Georgopoulou, Director
Irini Solomonidi, Senior Librarian
Duration:
April 1 - July 26, 2026
Visiting hours:
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:00 – 18:00, Thursday: 12:00 – 20:00
Guided tours will be held every Saturday throughout June at 12:00 noon. No registration is required.
Free admission.
Organized group tours available upon request. For reservations, please contact.
Photo Galleries
| Exhibibiton Opening Photo Gallery | Exhibition Installation Photos |
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Short Film - "Gennadius. One Gift. His Vision. Our Future."
Events and Lectures
Academies and Society. A Discussion on Knowledge, Education and the Future
The discussion, under the title “Academies and Society,” will explore the evolving relationship between academic institutions and the societies they serve, drawing on the historical trajectories of organizations such as the ASCSA, AAR, the Gennadius Library, and the Academy of Athens.
From Private Libraries to Public Knowledge: Collecting, Curating, and the Future of Libraries
On the occasion of its centenary (1926–2026), the Gennadius Library of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens organized a conference on April 21–22, 2026, which brought together twenty scholars, librarians, bibliographers, historians, archivists, book historians, and collectors.
The President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Constantine An. Tassoulas, delivered the opening remarks of the conference.