A large audience and representatives of Thessaloniki’s political, academic, and
cultural communities attended the inauguration of the permanent outdoor exhibition Ivy
and Stone at the Museum of Byzantine Culture on Tuesday, 16 June 2026. Among those
present were the Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni, and the Minister of
Culture of Italy, Alessandro Giuli.
The event was also attended by Mr George Avgoustidis, President of the Panhellenic Association of Paraplegics (Macedonia–Thrace Branch), accompanied by the Association’s Secretary, Mr Andreas Gevrexoudis, Ms Ariadni Avramidou, President of Anorasis; and Mr Georgios Karvelas, Secretary General, and Ms Fani Tsikoura, Treasurer, of the Central Macedonia Regional Union of the Panhellenic Association of the Blind. Their presence highlighted the importance of universal accessibility, which constitutes a fundamental principle in the design of both the exhibition and the garden.
The inauguration marked the opening of the Museum’s South Garden to the
public. The garden now forms an integral part of the museum experience and houses
late fourth-century AD mosaic floors originating from a luxurious residence in
Thessaloniki. The garden also presents an outdoor display of selected architectural
sculptures from the city, while addressing issues related to the production and
distribution of marble from some of the most important quarries of the eastern
Mediterranean during the Early Christian period.
The exhibition Ivy and Stone explores the dialogue between monuments and the
natural environment, integrating both into a contemporary museum experience. Visitors
may explore the garden daily (08:00–20:00), view the Early Christian mosaics at close
range and, over the next two months, observe the conservation work being carried out
on them. As part of the Museum’s policy of universal accessibility, some of the
exhibited sculptures may also be explored through touch by visitors with visual
impairments.
The event was accompanied by a musical programme performed by MOYSA,
the Thessaloniki Concert Hall Youth Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic direction
of Panagiotis Diamantis.

• Press release