The Museum is housed on
the ground floor of the imposing building belonging to the Korgialenio Library.
Established in 1962 by Eleni M. Kosmetatou, the Museum was opened to the public in 1966
with funding from Evangelos Basias. Despite its relatively short existence of only 37 years, it has always been a wholly cultural institution, manned by knowledgeable and efficient staff. |
The archive material in the Museum
relates our island’s history from the beginning of the 15th century up to
1848. The Museum’s objective is to keep the picture of how Kefalonia was before the
catastrophic 1953 earthquakes alive in our memories. The Museum has special exhibition
rooms where visitors can examine displays relating to folklore, records of historic events
and artistry, as well as exhibits portraying the life of the upper classes. Amongst the many exhibits in the Museum, there are historical documents, portraits, collections of personal items belonging to personages from the past, porcelain, silverware, brass, Kefalonian embroideries, a bedroom set out as it would have been in the past, kitchen utensils and agricultural tools, maps, lithographs, water colours, excellent examples of metalwork, photographic archives consisting of approximately 3,000 photographs, ecclesiastical paraphernalia, icons and wood-carvings from the 17th,18th and 19th centuries, coins, a library containing approximately 500 books and many other items. Amongst the most significant exhibits in the Museum are the following
items: |
Kefalonian bedroom from the mid-19th century. | Amalia gown from 1824, after the original worn by Queen Amalia. | Gold-plated monstrance (container) from the church of St Spyridon in Poulata | Icon of the Virgin holding Baby. Cretan School, probably beginning of the 18th century |
We like to thank the museum for the photos and the material.