Tour of the Exhibition (front row): Kostis Hatzidakis – Deputy Prime Minister of the Government, Fali Vogiatzaki – President of the Board of Directors of EMFIG, Konstantinos Tasoulas – President of the Republic (second row): His Eminence Metropolitan of Laodicea Mr. Theodoritos – representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Iason Fotilas – Deputy Minister of Culture, Katerina Sakelaropoulou – former President of the Republic
In a climate of joy and emotion, the inauguration of the Goulandris Museum of Natural History took place on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, after its declaration as a National Museum, a fact that marks a new era for the cultural institution. After six decades of tireless efforts aimed at protecting the environment, this recognition underlines the significant scientific and cultural value of the Museum, as the speakers emphasized.
The President of the Republic held the inauguration, speaking of an exemplary museum, a jewel of Kifissia and the pride of all of Greece. “The National Museum of Natural History has been and will continue to be a living body of knowledge, as its founders, Angelos and Niki Goulandris, wanted, promoting environmental ethics as a foundation for social progress, and strengthening the reconnection of man with nature, so that he will cease to undermine, by destroying it, his own survival,” said Konstantinos Tasoulas.
The President of the Goulandris National Museum of Natural History, Fali Vogiatzaki, among others, focused on upgrading the logistical infrastructure and technological equipment of the laboratories, as well as promoting connections with corresponding national museums abroad. “Today, the world is changing faster than ecosystems can withstand. The Museum will continue to fight for life and the transmission of knowledge. In this work, we invite you to stand by us,” she noted, appreciating that in everyone’s consciousness, Angelos and Niki Goulandris have been established as NATIONAL BENEFACTORS.
Representing the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, emphasized that the word “National” essentially means the support from here and beyond of the Museum’s efforts by the Hellenic Republic. “We must all do everything in our power to protect our natural heritage. The government will not remain a spectator,” he stressed, making extensive reference to the policy it follows for the environment and highlighting the need for a broad cross-party alliance in this area.
The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Niki Kerameus, spoke of a historical milestone, describing the Museum as a “beacon of knowledge and environmental sensitivity”. She particularly focused on the opportunities that are now opening up for collaborations with educational institutions and international organizations as well as for access to additional financial tools, citing as an example the approval of financing for three actions of the museum amounting to almost half a million euros from the Green Fund.
The Secretary General of the Natural Environment and Waters, Petros Varelidis, referred to the Museum’s contribution in terms of making the right decisions for the protection of the Environment. “The work of the Museum is important in order to see where we need to intervene with restoration projects,” he added.
Giorgos Agouridis, Member and Legal Advisor of the Board of Directors of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), made a special mention of the exhibition entitled “Biodiversity. Everything is Connected” that opens to visitors on the occasion of the inauguration, to whose donation the said effort owes its implementation. “The Goulandris National Museum of Natural History was a pioneer for its time, thanks to the visionaries Angelos and Niki Goulandris, but also to the continuation of their work by Mrs. Fali Vogiatzaki and her team. It raised our children, and now it is raising our grandchildren, and it is a timeless destination of knowledge, awakening and inspiration.”
The Mayor of the city, Vasilis Xypolytas, described the Museum as a living cell of the city and part of the identity of Kifissia, undertaking the commitment that the local authority will support it in every effort, concluding: “Together we can make the city a beacon of ecological awareness.”
Dimitris Mazarakis, CEO of Ethniki Insurance, interpreted the Museum’s declaration as a National Museum as a profound recognition of decades of contribution, research and preservation of environmental awareness. He clarified that the cooperation with the Museum moves along three axes: access and education, research and culture with the participation of citizens.
At the end of the event, which was presented by journalist Christina Vidou, the guests were given a tour of the exhibition “Biodiversity. Everything is connected” which utilizes modern interactive media.
