Author: Christos

Located in the square near the Archbishopric, the museum houses documents, photographs and other memorabilia from the 1955-1959 National Liberation Struggle against British Rule, and was founded after it ended, with new premises later opened in 2001.

The Nicosia (Lefkosia) Municipal Arts Centre (NiMAC) is housed in the building of the Old Powerhouse (power station), which is in itself a fine example of industrial architecture, and was recognised with the ‘Europa Nostra’ award in 1994 following its restoration.

The aim of the centre is the promotion of the fine arts in Cyprus, and it is the oldest and largest centre of its kind on the island. The centre incorporates a large exhibition area where it houses rare and specialist publications for art lovers, whilst it has also presented a large number of exhibitions of modern and contemporary art with the participation of well-known artists from Cyprus and abroad. Many of these were organized in collaboration with museums, art centres and cultural institutions of European and other countries.

The centre is associated with the Pierides Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens.

The A. G. Leventis Gallery represents the fulfillment of a vision. It is the embodiment of Anastasios G. Leventis’ wish to create, in his homeland, a public gallery in which the extensive art collection acquired during his lifetime can be enjoyed by his fellow countrymen, women and children.

Conceived in its essence over fifty years ago, this vision is realized today by the A. G. Leventis Foundation which is proud to present, for the first time under one roof, highlights of over 400 years of European art and history: from paintings, watercolours, prints and drawings to objets d’ art and period furniture.

The original collection comprises three units: the Paris Collection, representing significant European artists from the 17th to the 20th century; the Greek Collection, with artists from the 19th and 20th centuries; and the Cyprus Collection, with the first generation of Cypriot artists, born between 1884 and 1930.

The Pancyprian Gymnasium Museums is a fascinating 12-room space in the historical centre of Lefkosia (Nicosia), depicting the history of the oldest establishment of Secondary Education in Cyprus (Founded in 1812), as well as many other aspects of Cypriot history and culture.

The Museums consist of a Museum of the History of the School, the Archaeological and the Numismatic Collection, collections of old maps and old weaponry, an Art Gallery (that exhibits the work of great painters who served as teachers and students of the school), a Natural History Collection and other varied exhibits. The collection is completed with a unique and impressive sample of gothic sculpture from Cyprus.

The Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia, inaugurated in April 1989, is housed in a complex of three historic buildings, which have been restored, modified and refurbished in order to meet today’s museological standards and to provide a visitor-friendly space, where people can enjoy its Collections.
 
The Museum was created to present the history of Nicosia, the last divided capital of Europe. It narrates the history of the city from prehistoric times to the present day through its exceptional, rich Collections. More than 10,000 objects, including maps, documents, paintings, engravings and costumes, recount the story of Nicosia. The three floors of the Museum house the permanent exhibition galleries, in chronological order from Ancient Nicosia to the Byzantine and medieval Frankish and Venetian periods, the Ottoman period and the British period, concluding with the Republic of Cyprus and Nicosia today.

The Museum also hosts two private collections of Cypriot and medieval antiquities: the Leto and Costakis Severis Collection and the Chris Phylactou Collection. In addition, the archives of the Museum include extensive photographic material, related mainly to the city of Nicosia and its inhabitants.
 
In 1991, just two years after it opened its doors, the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia was awarded the European Museum of the Year Award. It is now recognised as one of the leading history museums of Europe and beyond.
 
In the multidimensional spaces of the Museum, the history of the capital of Cyprus meets the needs of today’s visitors, inviting them to interact with the city’s past. The Museum organises a series of activities and events to attract people from all age groups and backgrounds. Temporary exhibitions, guided tours, lectures, talks, evening events and educational activities are all designed in a way that links them to the Museum’s Collections and the history and social development of Nicosia.
 
 

The Classic Motorcycle Museum was created by motorcycle collector Andreas Nicolaou, and is the culmination of a 20-year labour of love. Today, the collection comprises more than 150 pieces, with motorcycles dated between 1914 – 1983, including AJS, MV Agusta, Matchless, Norton, BSA, Triumph, Ariel, BMW, James, Moto Guzzi, Royal Enfield and many more.

The museum also houses three police bikes that formed part of Archbishop Makarios III’s police escort, a motorcycle belonging to EOKA fighter Stylianos Lenas, and one belonging to the island’s first motorcycle champion – Turkish Cypriot Zeki Isa – along with a photography exhibition.

The State Gallery of Contemporary Art is housed in a beautiful restored building with collections that consist of paintings and sculptures by 20th century Cypriot artists.

The early industrial workshop of Agia Varvara combines a traditional house with the place of work to form an interesting museum that showcases daily life on the island in years past.

The workshop uses the primitive equipment of the 1920s; flour mill, crushed wheat mill, barley mill and oil mill, which all worked with a single engine that distributed motion to the machines according to the owner’s needs through a combination of transmission shafts, wheels and belts. A wine press and loom were also used by the owner’s wife.

The Museum on the History of Cypriot Coinage was founded in 1995 and traces the development of the island’s coinage from the first coins minted during the 6th century BC to modern times.

A collection of over 500 coins charts 2.600 years of turbulent Cypriot history and is divided into nine time periods (23 showcases), that offer an important source of information on Cyprus’ numismatic history.

The presentation begins with coinage from the Cyprus City Kingdoms (6th – 4th centuries BC) and ends with the Republic of Cyprus (1960). Included in the initial collection is a bronze coin from the Roman period that bears the legend ‘ΚΟΙΝΟ(Ν) ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ’ (League of the Cypriots) and was a symbol of unity among the peoples of the island. There is also a touch screen presentation of the island’s historical journey of coins throughout different times.

The museum is linked to the Aphrodite Cultural Route.