The Greeks exhibition draws half-a-million visitors on North American tour

An extraordinary exhibition of treasures from Ancient Greece, organized in part by the Canadian Museum of History, has concluded a highly successful North American tour. The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great captivated over half-a-million visitors in four cities. The exhibition’s 500 priceless artifacts will now return to 21 lending museums in Greece.

The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great was the most comprehensive exhibition on Ancient Greece to tour North America in a generation. In Canada, it was presented at the Canadian Museum of History and Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex. In the United States, it travelled to The Field Museum in Chicago and the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC, where the tour ended on October 10.

“The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great connected visitors with one of the most influential and storied civilizations in history,” said Jean-Marc Blais, Director General of the Canadian Museum of History. “The Museum was proud to play a leadership role in the development of the exhibition, and we are grateful to our international partners for their help in making it such a huge success.”

The exhibition took visitors on a journey through 5,000 years of Greek culture, from the Neolithic Era to the age of Alexander the Great. Many of its outstanding artifacts had never before been displayed beyond their homeland. The exhibition heightened public understanding of the history of the Greek people and the extent of their contributions to the development of philosophy, democracy and the arts.

The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great was produced by the four presenting museums in partnership with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, Greece. The Canadian Museum of History lead the project.