Museum Dedicated to Greek Theater Director Karolos Koun to Open in Athens

Karolos Koun. Photo source: Art Theater.

A new museum that will pay tribute to the life and achievements of renowned Greek theater director Karolos Koun will open in Athens, the Greek Culture Ministry recently announced.

The Karolos Koun Museum will be located in the city’s Plaka district, in a building owned by the ministry at 7 Dioskouron Street.

“The new museum will honor Koun and his significant contribution to the Greek theater scene,” Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said during a visit to the location.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni inspecting the building that will be renovated to host the new museum. Photo source: Culture Ministry.

Speaking highly of Koun, the culture minister said he was a “tireless visionary” and the “driving force” behind the Art Theatre (Theatro Technis), which played a decisive role in shaping the Greek theater landscape.

Koun’s journey began in Istanbul in the early 20th century, where he received his education at an American high school before furthering his studies in Paris.

He returned to Greece in 1929 and spent a decade working as an English tutor at Athens College, all the while directing plays with the college’s drama club.

In 1934, Koun, along with Yiannis Tsarouchis and Dionysios Devaris, established a semi-professional theater group with the aim of reviving Greek popular expressionism on stage.

Th Art Theater main venue in Plaka. Photo source: Art Theater.

Despite the challenges posed by World War II and Greece’s Nazi occupation, Koun founded the Art Theatre (Theatro Technis) in 1942.

The theater’s objectives included promoting new Greek playwrights, establishing a drama school with its own distinct style, familiarizing Greek audiences with major foreign playwrights from both classical and contemporary traditions, and staging ancient dramas.

The Karolos Koun museum building. Photo source: Culture Ministry.

Today, Koun is recognized as one of the most prominent figures in Greek theater over the past century.

In addition to the museum project, the Greek culture ministry has allocated 95,000 euros to the Art Theatre (Theatro Technis) to support the creation of necessary infrastructure for recording, documenting, evaluating, conserving, and preserving its valuable collection of visual materials and costumes used in historic performances.

This unique collection, currently at risk of deterioration due to inadequate storage conditions, represents an invaluable artistic asset and a crucial historical resource for modern Greek theater.

Once it opens, the Karolos Koun Museum will offer visitors insight of the world of one of Greece’s most influential theater directors.

Through his collaborations, Koun has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of the country, and this museum will serve as a testament to his enduring legacy.