National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens

The National Museum of Contemporary Art ( EMST; Greek Εθνικό Μουσείο Σύγχρονης Τέχνης, ΕΜΣΤ ) is an art museum in Athens.

Background

Athens possessed with the National Gallery (Athens), the Municipal Gallery of Athens and the private Benaki Museum on three major art museums, whose priorities lie in the art of the past. 1997 in Thessaloniki State Museum of Contemporary Art was founded, the establishment of a similar institution in Athens stood out. Around the same time had the former building of the Fix brewery acquired to build in its place a Park & ​​Ride car park in Athens, the operating company of the subway. Architecture friends thought the building occupied and calling instead for a cultural use. Finally, a compromise was reached, half of which was torn down and enabled the construction of an underground parking garage, the other half was left to the State in 2000 with the condition of the cultural use. As of 2003, exhibitions of the new National Museum of Contemporary Art in the ruins were shown from 2007 to 2013, the building was renovated and expanded the museum. Interim, it is housed until 2014 in the building of the Athens Odeon.

The EMST shows Greek and international art from the late 1970s until today.