The Benaki Museum was opened in 1930 in the former family home by Antonis Benakis (1873-1954), a descendant of a respectable Greek family that at that time lived in Egyptian Alexandria. The basis of the museum exhibition was his impressive art collection, which Benakis began to collect in Egypt, and later bequeathed to the Greek state. The Benakis collection became the first private museum in Greece.
The exposition begins with sculptures of the 5th century BC. The second floor houses valuable finds from the Greek islands and from Asia Minor. Objects of applied art occupy the third floor, where you can see jewelry, wood carvings, ceramics and a large collection of Greek costume. In addition, there are Mycenaean decorations, a large number of cult items, such as the early gospel, church utensils and several fine icons. One of the most valuable exhibits is Lord Byron's desk. Another exhibit is the furnishings from the hall for receiving guests from the Egyptian palace of the 17th century. Here you can see one of the earliest oil paintings (3rd century) - a portrait of a young man on canvas, made by an Egyptian artist. The fourth floor houses the work of El Greco.

The museum building itself is one of the most beautiful neoclassical buildings in Athens. On its top floor there is a cafe with amazing views of the nearby National Gardens.