Callas’ legacy is her voice and interpretations,
it is the myth being cultivated to the present day,
far more than any objects left behind
after her passing.
Maria Callas Museum will be inviting visitors
to an exciting journey through her life and work,
in an experiential way that will then give space
to a more pragmatic understanding.
Maria Callas Museum will be hosted
in a four storey neo-classical building
in the heart of Athens city center.
It will put on display
the collection owned by the Municipality of Athens.
A retail store, a coffee shop,
a space for temporary exhibitions and events,
along with a small mediatheque
will also be created in the premises.
Our design is based on the idea
that today’ s most valuable Callas “artefact”
is her voice, via recordings and filming.
Thus, the permanent exhibition
will be developed in two storeys,
beginning at the second floor.
There, visitors can walk through
a path of soundscapes,
in which one can feel the depth and uniqueness
of Callas’s voice and performance.
Digital technology and theatrical practice help create
a rather unexpected museum experience.
In the first floor, the exhibition will continue
in a more conventional way.
Using a detailed timeline,
one will have the opportunity to learn more
about important aspects of the soprano’s life,
such as her studies, her mentors,
the important people of her life,
even her relationship with fashion and art.
Again, digital technology will be a key role player
in the shaping of the visitors’ experience.
However, the main tool of narrating, in this floor,
will be quotes, hers and others on her.
PROJECT DATA
DESIGN
2014
COLLABORATORS
Andromache Gazi, museologist
Alexandros Charkiolakis, musicologist
Artemis Kopsida, architect
SURFACE
1.000m²
BUDGET
1.700.000€