The Hellenic Motor Museum in central Athens displays a stunning collection of around 300 classic, vintage and rare cars, from Bugattis and Ferraris to long-extinct marques, across the top floors of the Capitol building, complete with a Formula 1 simulator. Discover it alongside skip-the-line sightseeing tickets and tours from My Greece Tours.
This automotive treasure is a fun stop in the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover what the museum is, the remarkable collection, the rare and famous cars, the building and facilities, who it suits, and how to visit.
What is the Hellenic Motor Museum?
The Hellenic Motor Museum is a car museum in central Athens, close to the National Archaeological Museum, displaying a collection of around 300 classic, vintage and rare automobiles, of which roughly 110 are shown at a time. Opened and occupying the top three floors of the Athenian Capitol building, it traces the history of the motor car through beautifully presented examples spanning antique, vintage, classic and modern eras, making it a delight for car enthusiasts and a fun, unexpected attraction in the city.
For motoring enthusiasts and the simply curious, the Hellenic Motor Museum is a wonderful and unexpected attraction in the heart of Athens, offering a complete change of pace from the city’s ancient sites. The museum, which opened and is run by a private foundation, houses an impressive collection of around three hundred automobiles, of which roughly one hundred and ten are displayed at any one time on a rotating basis, ranging across the entire history of the motor car. The cars are grouped by era into categories such as antique and veteran through vintage, post-vintage, classic, post-classic and modern, allowing visitors to trace the evolution of automotive design and engineering from the earliest pioneering machines through to gleaming modern supercars.
Beautifully presented on several floors, the collection includes everything from humble everyday vehicles to dazzling rarities and famous marques. Located conveniently in central Athens, close to the National Archaeological Museum, and occupying the upper floors of a landmark building, the museum is an enjoyable and surprising stop. It appeals to far more than just petrolheads. The collection itself is the star.
What is the collection like?
The collection of around 300 cars spans the full history of the automobile, from antique and veteran pioneers to vintage classics and modern machines, with roughly 110 on display at a time across themed floors. The cars are immaculately restored and presented, charting the development of motoring design, technology and style over more than a century. Rotating displays keep the museum fresh for repeat visits. The breadth and quality of the collection make it one of the finest car museums in the region.
The heart of the Hellenic Motor Museum is its remarkable collection, which numbers around three hundred vehicles in total and offers a sweeping journey through the history of the automobile. Because the museum’s display space, while generous, cannot show every car at once, roughly one hundred and ten are exhibited at any given time, arranged across the themed floors and rotated periodically, which has the happy effect of keeping the museum fresh and giving repeat visitors something new to see. The cars are organised broadly by era and category, from the antique and veteran machines of the dawn of motoring, through the elegant vintage and classic cars of the early and mid twentieth century, to post-classic and modern vehicles, allowing you to follow the fascinating evolution of automotive design, engineering and style across more than a hundred years.
Every car is immaculately restored and beautifully presented, gleaming under the lights, so that the collection is as much an exhibition of craftsmanship and design as of mechanical history. The sheer breadth and quality of the cars on show make this one of the finest collections of its kind in the region. Among them are some truly extraordinary rarities. The famous and the forgotten sit side by side.
What rare and famous cars can you see?
The museum showcases both legendary marques and rare cars from long-extinct manufacturers. You can admire models from famous names that still exist, such as Bugatti, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Mercedes, Porsche and BMW, alongside fascinating cars from defunct makers like Avions Voisin, Delage, Delahaye, Facel Vega, Packard and others. This mix of celebrated supercars and forgotten classics is a particular treat for enthusiasts and the curious alike.
A particular delight of the Hellenic Motor Museum is the chance to see not only the famous, dream-worthy marques but also genuinely rare cars from manufacturers that have long since vanished, giving the collection real depth and fascination. Among the celebrated names that still exist today, you can admire beautiful examples of legendary makes such as Bugatti, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW and more, the very names that stir the hearts of car lovers. Just as captivating, however, are the cars from defunct, extinct manufacturers, marques that no longer exist but once produced remarkable vehicles, including the likes of Avions Voisin, Delage, Delahaye, Facel Vega, Packard, Adler, Lagonda and others, many of which most visitors will never have heard of and would have no other chance to see.
This combination of the iconic and the obscure, the surviving and the forgotten, makes the collection endlessly interesting, whether you are a dedicated enthusiast who recognises every badge or a casual visitor simply admiring the beautiful machines. There is something to amaze everyone. The setting and extras add to the appeal.
What is the building and what facilities are there?
The museum occupies the top three floors of the Athenian Capitol building, a shopping and commercial complex in central Athens, so you reach it through the building. Beyond the cars, it offers extra attractions including a Formula 1 racing simulator that lets visitors experience the thrill of the track, a road-safety education programme, and an amphitheatre for events. These features, along with the rotating displays, make the museum engaging and interactive, appealing to families and casual visitors as well as serious car enthusiasts.
The Hellenic Motor Museum enjoys an interesting setting, occupying the top three floors of the Athenian Capitol building, a commercial and shopping complex in central Athens, so that visiting the museum involves entering through this host building and ascending to its upper levels, where the spacious, light-filled floors provide an attractive home for the collection. Beyond the cars themselves, the museum offers several additional attractions that broaden its appeal and add an interactive, hands-on dimension to a visit. Chief among these is a Formula 1 racing simulator, which allows visitors to climb in and experience something of the thrill and challenge of driving a racing car around a track, a popular feature especially with younger visitors and the young at heart.
The museum also runs a road-safety education programme aimed at promoting safe driving, and it includes an amphitheatre that hosts events, presentations and activities. Together with the regularly rotating displays of cars, these facilities make the museum a lively, engaging and family-friendly destination rather than a static exhibition, ensuring there is plenty to enjoy for everyone, not only dedicated car buffs. It is a fun, well-rounded attraction. It suits a wide range of visitors.
Who is it for, and how do you visit?
The museum delights car enthusiasts but also families, children who love the F1 simulator, and anyone seeking a fun change from ancient sites. It is in central Athens close to the National Archaeological Museum, in the Capitol building, a short walk from the Victoria or Omonia metro stations. It is open most days with an admission ticket; check current hours. Allow around an hour to an hour and a half, and combine it with the nearby archaeological museum or the central neighbourhoods.
The Hellenic Motor Museum appeals to a surprisingly broad audience, making it a worthwhile stop for many kinds of visitor. Dedicated car enthusiasts will of course be in their element among the rare and beautiful machines, but the museum is also a hit with families and children, who especially enjoy the Formula 1 simulator and the gleaming supercars, and with any traveller looking for an enjoyable and unexpected change of pace from the ancient ruins and museums that dominate an Athens itinerary. The museum is conveniently located in central Athens, close to the great National Archaeological Museum, within the Capitol building, and is easily reached on foot from the Victoria or Omonia metro stations, making it simple to add to a day of sightseeing.
It is generally open on most days of the week and requires an admission ticket, so it is wise to check the current opening hours and prices before visiting. Allowing around an hour to an hour and a half lets you enjoy the displays and the simulator at a comfortable pace, and the central location means it pairs naturally with a visit to the nearby National Archaeological Museum or an exploration of the surrounding central neighbourhoods. Tickets are reasonably priced, and the museum makes an excellent rainy-day option or a welcome break for anyone in the group who has had their fill of ancient ruins. With its gleaming cars, hands-on simulator and central setting, it offers something genuinely different among the city’s attractions. For a fun, accessible and different attraction, it is a great choice. The transport network is explained in the Athens metro guide. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hellenic Motor Museum?
The Hellenic Motor Museum is a car museum in central Athens, close to the National Archaeological Museum, displaying a collection of around 300 classic, vintage and rare automobiles, with roughly 110 shown at a time. Opened and occupying the top three floors of the Capitol building, it spans the history of the car from antique pioneers to modern supercars, and includes a Formula 1 simulator.
Is the Hellenic Motor Museum worth visiting?
Yes, the Hellenic Motor Museum is well worth visiting for car enthusiasts, families and anyone wanting a fun change from ancient sites. Its collection of around 300 beautifully restored cars, from famous marques like Ferrari and Bugatti to rare extinct makes, plus a Formula 1 simulator, makes it engaging and interactive. Its central location close to the National Archaeological Museum makes it easy to add to a day.
Where is the Hellenic Motor Museum in Athens?
The Hellenic Motor Museum is in central Athens, on the top three floors of the Athenian Capitol building, close to the National Archaeological Museum. It is a short walk from the Victoria or Omonia metro stations, so it is easy to reach by metro and combine with the nearby archaeological museum. It is open most days with an admission ticket, so check the current hours before visiting.