About
The National Art Gallery and Alexandros Soutzos Museum, the most important institution in Greece devoted to the subject of the history of Greek and Western European art, has been in operation, in its present form, since 1976. The actual founding of the institution dates back to 1900, when the relevant decree was published and the duties of curator were undertaken by George Iakovides (1900-1918).
Already, however, in 1834, within the framework of the new social organization - on Western European lines - of the newly-born Greek state, the decree "On Technological Collections" provided for the founding, in Athens, of a Museum of paintings and engravings.

History
Alexandros Soutzos, a lawyer and art-lover, donated all his property and his collection of works of art, for the creation of a Museum of painting. In 1918, under the directorship of Zacharias Papantoniou (1918-1940), the first constitution of the National Art Gallery was drawn up and, in 1954, the gallery was amalgamated with the Alexandros Soutzos Museum of Painting. The Art Gallery gives priority to the presentation of the Greek art of the period after the War of Independence.

Today, there is a speciazized library on the History of Art at the National Art Gallery. A complete photographic workshop has been set up, as well as a modern conservation workshop; also a wood restoration and carpentry workshop, while another service undertakes the conservation of paper.

The most important collections of the National Gallery are:
Greek Painting (19th - 20th century)
European Painting

hours:
Monday and Wednesday 09.00 - 15.00 and 18.00-21.00, Tuesday closed,
Thursday, Friday, Saturday 09.00-15.00, Sunday 10.00 - 14.00

Ticket price:
Full admission: 6,50 Euro
Reduced admission: 3 euro