INTRODUCTION
Hellenic Motor Museum is situated in the city centre of Athens, in the heart of the city, in the uniquely designed building of the Capitol Mall cultural, leisure and commercial complex.
The Museum covers 5.000 m2 of the complex in 3 whole floors, dedicated to technology and the 4 wheels evolution, a history that cover almost a century, from a 1895 fire engine from Hungary to a Ferrari 308 GTS.
The museum, a highly-coveted private collection numbering more than 300 vehicles, is a childhood dream of Theodoros N. Charagionis, Executive Chairman of Charagionis Group. The founder’s vision was to document the history of the most cherished object the industrial revolution has produced, contributing to the field of road safety via educational screenings and lectures.
Highlights in the collection include Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant's 1959 Chrysler Imperial, Formula 1 driver Lorenzo Bandini's personal 1953 Lancia Aurelia and the 1979 Cadillac Seville Gucci with its Gucci-designed interior and exterior fitments.
Road safety programmes give to future drivers a basic knowledge combining play and education, while the more adventurous visitors have the opportunity to try their reflexes on a Formula 1 simulator!
Hellenic Motor Museum will also feature a conference centre with 200 seats capacity, a 3D cinema, the Museum Store, an eight-storey underground garage with 800 car park seats and a luxury resort style central square, with restaurants and coffee shops.
COLLECTION
While touring the museum, the visitor will have the opportunity to admire unique exhibits of the world automotive, exhibits that one can only see in the (few) corresponding foreign museums or read about them in the international bibliography.
Those cars bring to life different times and eras, when designing a car was almost a “national issue” and the English School had to confront the Italian feeling, the French charm, the German technology and the American concept of “big is beautiful”. Who can resist the charm of a 1931 PACKARD STANDARD EIGHT SEDANCA, the design of a 1934 BUGATTI TYPE 57 VENTOUX, the technology of a 1955 MERCEDES BENZ 300SL GULLWING, but also the “feeling” of a 1974 FERRARI 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer. Who can forget manufacturers with unique history such as AVION VOISIN, FACEL VEGA and also the legendary AUTO UNION, the predecessor of today’s AUDI!
During 2013-2014, the Museum will withdraw the current exhibits and will host approximately 100 racing cars and Formulas from the owner’s collection. In addition, two thematic exhibitions have been planned to take place within the current year; the first dedicated to the recently “lost” Italian designer Sergio Pininfarina and the second one to the “Greek” cars, namely cars designed by Greek designers or cars produced totally or partly in Greece.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
Our interactive program “Circulate with Safety” is addressed to all schools, public or private, in the area of Athens, as well as in all areas of Greece; it is a rather pioneering effort for our country, aiming to introduce to all children and young persons the basic principles of traffic education.
Students of primary and high school, through their visit in the Hellenic Motor Museum, will have the opportunity to admire the unique exhibits of the Museum and afterwards and according to their age, participate in the Road Safety program at the 3rd floor.
CHILDREN 6 – 12 YEARS OLD “Circulate with Safety” is an interactive game where children, during a “drive” in the city see the basic road traffic signs and learn how to react successfully in a busy traffic environment. Each child actively participates in a way that, while typically is participating in a game, he/she actually absorbs useful information that will be useful in everyday life, as soon as he/she leaves the Museum.
The program is hosted in a special area and is organised in collaboration with "Road Safety Institute Panos Mylonas".
AVAILABLE PREMISES
A unique place for unforgettable events!
Hellenic Motor Museum offers high – tech alternative premises for hosting every type of corporate or social event. Each of three floors, has been designed in order to be transformed into an event hall and with the appropriate adjustments, to serve either corporate, scientific or sport events, or even wedding receptions, christenings’ gatherings or children’s parties.
At the highest level of the building, Capitol Belvedere, can host up to 180 in cocktail set up guests, offering a magnificent view to the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill, as well as an overall view of the Museum’s exhibits. The high-tech auditorium of 200 people capacity is ideal for presentations, since it offers 3D projection system; at the Auditorium stage, even cars can be presented, while the foyer is the ideal proposal for smaller events such as book presentations, cocktails, small exhibitions etc.
The wider area of the Museum, with 1500 m2 space and significant height with no columns is the perfect solution for large scale events.
In the Capitol Mall complex, where the Museum premises are hosted , a parking station of 800 seats is available.