From the collection of the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum to the National Museum of Natural History Goulandris. From 18 November 2026 to 30 April 2027.
What relationships did people have with animals in antiquity? When was the dog domesticated? Were there lions and panthers in Greece? And what did Aristotle think about octopuses? These are some of the questions posed by the new temporary exhibition «Humans and Animals: an eternal bond», presented at the National Museum of Natural History Goulandris, in collaboration with the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum.
For the first time, a natural history museum and an archaeological museum join forces to shed light on the complex, timeless relationship between humans and animals.
The exhibition presents more than 130 archaeological objects from the collection of the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum, which engage in dialogue with the exhibits of the permanent collection of the National Museum of Natural History Goulandris. At the same time, contemporary zoological remains from the comparative collection of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens – M.H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science are presented, offering a different perspective on how we study the relationship between humans and animals in antiquity today.
The objects come mainly from Greece with additional examples from other regions. They cover a wide chronological range from the Bronze Age to the end of the Roman period and are organized on the basis of themes that highlight different aspects of the relationship between humans and animals, from everyday coexistence and the economy to mythology and religion.
As noted by the Director of the Canellopoulos Museum, Nikos Papadimitriou:
«The exhibition exudes the joy and freshness of an unexpected collaboration. Archaeologists, biologists and zoo-archaeologists studied our relationship with animals over time together. They learned a lot from this dialogue and created an exhibition that's original and very entertaining.»
The Sections of the Exhibition
1. INTRODUCTORY SECTION
The introductory section unfolds across three rooms of the Museum's (former) botanical collection and presents the enduring relationship between humans and animals in antiquity. Through archaeological objects, written sources, depictions and zoological remains, visitors discover the ways this relationship is studied and the different forms it took.
The section is organized around five key themes:
- Methods of study: written sources, depictions and archaeological/zoological remains
- Modes of interaction: economy, everyday life, animal partners and the relationship between animals and children
- Animals as symbols: gods, cities, power and authority, beauty
- Animals in religion
- Animals in myth
2. INTERACTIVE SECTION
The second section unfolds in the rooms of the Museum's permanent zoological exhibition, where small cases with archaeological finds enter into dialogue with the corresponding zoological exhibits. Through this coexistence, visitors discover the uses and symbolism of animals in antiquity and have the chance to compare ancient depictions with real animals.
An exhibition for everyone
The exhibition is addressed to the general public. The exhibition program is complemented by educational programs for schools, activities for parents and children, interactive themed tours for adults, as well as inclusive activities-workshops for people with visual and hearing impairments, giving different age groups the opportunity to approach the subject in a hands-on, participatory way.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a special edition with introductory texts and a catalogue of the exhibits.
This new collaboration between the National Museum of Natural History Goulandris and the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum creates a unique meeting ground for science, archaeology and culture and invites us to rediscover a relationship that began thousands of years ago and continues to shape our world.
Information
«Humans and Animals: an eternal bond» 18 November 2026 – 30 April 2027 A visit to the Exhibition is included in the Museum's General Admission ticket General Admission: 12€ - Reduced: 7€
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9.00-16.00, Weekends: 10.00-15.00
National Museum of Natural History Goulandris
Othonos 100, 145 62 Kifissia
Tel. : 210 8015870
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Curation: Nikos Papadimitriou, Director, Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum, Dimitris Palaeothodoros, Professor of Archaeology, University of Thessaly Museographic Study: Spyros Nasainas – Despina Tsafou
The exhibition is held with the support of the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Foundation.
