Thessaloniki, the second - largest city in Greece and the capital of the geographic region of Macedonia, located on the Thermaic Gulf at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea and bounded on the west by the delta of the Axios, with a continuous 3.000 year old history, preserving relevant relics of its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past and today an important economic, industrial, commercial and political centre and major transportation hub for the rest of south - eastern Europe launched a new museum network to elevate city’s global cultural presence.
Three of Thessaloniki’s major cultural institutions are forming a new collaborative network to promote the city’s rich history and alternative tourism offerings to international audiences highlighting the great cultural and historical heritage of a city founded by Kassander of Macedon in 315 BC that flourished as a major metropolis becoming a key centre for early Christianity and elevating itself as the second largest and wealthiest city in the Byzantine Empire.
The initiative coordinated by TTO, Thessaloniki Tourism Organization aims to position the Hellenic city as a standout destination for cultural travellers by launching joint actions such as shared guides, thematic tours and digital applications.
During a recent meeting, TTO General Manager Kyriaki Oudatzi, who also serves as CEO of the Thessaloniki Olympic Museum, the unique Olympic Museum of Greece that aims to promote Olympic heritage and the spirit of sports, met with Stella Bezergianni President of the NOESIS Science Center & Technology Museum, a non - profit cultural and education foundation that promotes Technology Culture and creates an appropriate environment the public of the latest developmenrs in Science and Technology.
At the meeting was also present Athina Pavlidou, Director of the Museum of the Macedonia Struggle, historical museum that presents the local history and cultural identity of Macedonia, keeping alive the memory of the struggles of Hellenism.
Together they agreed to establish a citywide museum network that will create unified cultural experiences and help broaden Thessaloniki’s visibility in the growing fields of alternative and experiential tourism with the aim to elevate the city's image and reputation globally.
The tourism board confirmed that official initiatives will begin once discussion additional participating indtitutions are finalized.
According to the Thessaloniki Tourism Organization, with this new museum alliance, the city is turning its heritage into a coordinated tourism asset aimed to a global audience.
