The National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, known as EMST, showcases Greek and international contemporary art in the landmark former Fix brewery, crowned by a rooftop terrace with an Acropolis view. Explore its galleries alongside skip-the-line sightseeing tickets and tours from My Greece Tours.
This bold modern museum is a contemporary highlight of the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover what EMST is, the collection, the landmark Fix brewery building, what to see, the rooftop and facilities, the practical visit, and how to get there.
What is the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens?
The National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, known by its Greek initials EMST, is Greece’s national museum dedicated to contemporary art. Founded, it exhibits Greek and international art from the late 20th century to today across painting, sculpture, installation, photography, video and new media. Housed in the converted former Fix brewery, a city landmark, it offers a major collection, changing exhibitions and a rooftop with Acropolis views.
For visitors interested in the cutting edge of art rather than only antiquity, the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, universally known by its Greek acronym EMST, is the country’s flagship institution for modern and contemporary creativity and a vital part of the city’s vibrant art scene. Established in the year, the museum is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting and promoting the work of Greek and international artists from the second half of the twentieth century through to the present day, spanning the full range of contemporary media including painting, sculpture, large-scale installation, photography, video art, sound and new digital forms. After many years as a nomadic institution without a permanent home, hosted in temporary venues, EMST finally settled into its splendid converted building and opened its permanent collection to the public, giving Athens a world-class contemporary art museum to complement its ancient treasures. Today it offers a substantial permanent collection, an active programme of temporary exhibitions and events, and a celebrated rooftop terrace with sweeping city views. It provides a stimulating, thought-provoking contrast to the classical sites. For art lovers it is essential. Its home is itself a landmark.
What is the EMST collection like?
The EMST collection focuses on Greek and international contemporary art from the late 20th century onward, structured around a historic axis from the second half of the 1900s and a more recent contemporary one. The permanent display presents around 170 works by some 78 Greek and foreign artists, across painting, sculpture, installation, photography, video and new media. Rotating selections and major temporary exhibitions keep the displays fresh, showcasing leading and emerging artists.
The heart of EMST is its growing permanent collection of contemporary art, thoughtfully assembled to represent both the development of recent art history and the most current creative voices. The collection is structured around two axes: a historical strand tracing significant works from the second half of the twentieth century, and a contemporary strand reflecting the art of today, together giving visitors a coherent journey through recent decades of creativity. The permanent display typically presents around one hundred and seventy works by some seventy-eight artists, both Greek and international, encompassing a wide variety of media from painting and sculpture to ambitious room-sized installations, conceptual pieces, photography, film and video art, and sound and digital works, reflecting the diverse and experimental nature of contemporary practice. The museum gives particular prominence to Greek artists, offering a valuable window onto the country’s lively contemporary scene, while setting them in dialogue with international names. Alongside the rotating permanent display, EMST stages major temporary exhibitions and thematic shows that draw international attention. The result is a rich, varied and often challenging encounter with the art of our time. The collection rewards an open mind. The building housing it has a fascinating past.
What is the Fix brewery building?
EMST occupies the converted former Fix brewery, an Athenian landmark on Syngrou Avenue. The Fix family ran the first Greek brewery here from the late 19th century, and the modernist building was notably redesigned in the 1950s and 60s by the architect Takis Zenetos. After the brewery closed, the emblematic structure was extensively renovated to become the museum’s permanent home, an industrial-heritage conversion that is itself part of the EMST experience.
The museum’s home is as much a part of its identity as its art, for EMST occupies the dramatically converted shell of the old Fix brewery, one of the most recognisable industrial landmarks in central Athens, standing prominently on the broad Syngrou Avenue. The building’s story stretches back to the late nineteenth century, when the Bavarian Fix family, who had settled in Greece, established here the first brewery in the country, and the Fix name became synonymous with Greek beer for generations. The structure that survives owes its bold modernist character to a major redesign in the post-war decades by the architect Takis Zenetos, one of the leading figures of Greek modernism, working with a colleague, giving the long facade its distinctive rhythmic form. After the historic brewery eventually ceased production and fell silent, the emblematic building was selected and extensively reconstructed and renovated over many years to serve as the permanent home of the contemporary art museum, a fitting marriage of industrial heritage and contemporary culture. Exploring the spacious, light-filled galleries within this reborn industrial monument is part of the pleasure of a visit. The building bridges past and present. Inside, the displays reward exploration.
What can you see at EMST?
At EMST you can see several floors of contemporary art, from the permanent collection of Greek and international works to large temporary exhibitions, displayed in spacious, flexible galleries. Highlights range from striking installations and video works to painting, sculpture and photography by major artists. The museum also hosts events, talks, film screenings and educational programmes. A visit typically takes one to two hours, allowing time to engage with the often bold and immersive works.
A visit to EMST unfolds across several floors of generous, adaptable gallery space within the converted brewery, offering a rich and varied encounter with contemporary art that can be both beautiful and provocative. On the permanent-collection floors you move through a curated selection of the museum’s holdings, spanning the historic and contemporary strands, where you might find immersive large-scale installations, thought-provoking video and sound works, bold paintings, sculptures and conceptual pieces by leading Greek and international artists, often arranged around themes that invite reflection on society, identity, politics and the human condition. The museum’s changing temporary exhibitions, which occupy dedicated floors, frequently present major solo shows or ambitious thematic surveys, so there is usually something new to discover on each visit. Beyond the static displays, EMST is a lively cultural hub, hosting artist talks, lectures, film screenings, performances and educational and family programmes that enrich the experience. A typical visit takes around one to two hours, though art enthusiasts may happily spend longer, and engaging openly with the sometimes challenging works is part of the reward. The displays stimulate and surprise. One feature in particular should not be missed. The rooftop is a special treat.
What about the rooftop and facilities?
One of EMST’s highlights is its top-floor terrace, which offers a stunning panoramic view stretching from the Acropolis across the city to the Faliro seaside and the sea. The museum also has a café, a shop selling art books and gifts, a library and auditorium, and good accessibility with lifts to all floors. The rooftop view alone, combined with the art and the landmark building, makes EMST a rewarding and comfortable cultural stop.
Beyond the galleries, EMST offers welcoming facilities that round out a visit, chief among them its splendid rooftop terrace, a genuine highlight that should not be overlooked. From the top floor of the tall former brewery, the open balcony commands a sweeping panoramic view across Athens, taking in the Acropolis crowning the city on one side and stretching out over the urban sprawl to the Faliro coast and the shimmering Saronic Gulf on the other, a memorable vista that beautifully connects the contemporary museum to the ancient and maritime city around it. Down in the building, visitors will find a pleasant café in which to pause for a coffee, a well-stocked museum shop selling art books, prints, design objects and gifts, and further amenities such as a library and an auditorium for the museum’s events. The converted brewery is also well equipped for accessibility, with lifts serving all the exhibition floors, making it comfortable for all visitors including those with mobility needs or strollers. Together the art, the landmark building, the facilities and that spectacular rooftop view make EMST a thoroughly rewarding and modern cultural experience. It caters well to its visitors. Reaching it is simple and central.
How do you visit EMST?
EMST stands on Kallirrois Avenue at the junction with Syngrou Avenue, central Athens, easily reached by metro to the Syngrou-Fix station on line 2, the red line, right beside it. The museum is open most days except Monday, with an admission ticket and reduced rates for some visitors; check current hours and prices. Allow one to two hours, and combine it with the nearby Acropolis area or a walk along the avenue. Booking online can save time.
Visiting EMST is easy thanks to its central location and excellent transport links, making it a simple addition to an Athens itinerary. The museum stands on Kallirrois Avenue at its junction with the busy Syngrou Avenue, a little south of the historic centre and the Acropolis, and the metro could hardly be more convenient: the Syngrou-Fix station on line 2, the red line, named after the very brewery the museum occupies, lies right beside the building, so you step out almost at its door, only a couple of stops from the Acropolis and Syntagma. The museum is generally open on most days of the week, typically closing on Mondays, and entry requires an admission ticket, with reduced rates available for students, seniors and other categories, so it is worth checking the current opening hours and prices before you go, as these can change. Allowing around one to two hours lets you take in the permanent collection, a temporary show and the rooftop comfortably, and the museum pairs well with the nearby Acropolis area, the Temple of Olympian Zeus or a stroll along the avenue. Booking your ticket online where possible can save time at the entrance. With its central setting, EMST is a rewarding and accessible stop. The transport network is explained in the Athens metro guide. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EMST in Athens?
EMST is the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, Greece’s flagship museum for modern and contemporary art. Founded and housed in the converted former Fix brewery on Syngrou Avenue, it exhibits Greek and international art from the late 20th century to today across painting, sculpture, installation, photography and video, with a celebrated rooftop offering Acropolis views.
Is the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens worth visiting?
Yes, EMST is well worth visiting for those interested in contemporary art and a modern contrast to the ancient sites. It offers a major collection of Greek and international works, ambitious temporary exhibitions, the fascinating landmark setting of the converted Fix brewery, and a spectacular rooftop terrace with views from the Acropolis to the sea.
How do you get to EMST Athens?
EMST stands on Kallirrois Avenue at the junction with Syngrou Avenue in central Athens. It is extremely easy to reach by metro, as the Syngrou-Fix station on line 2, the red line, lies directly beside the museum, only a couple of stops from the Acropolis and Syntagma. The museum is open most days except Monday; check current hours and ticket prices.