The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil, the first thematic museum for the history of two important goods of our country, aims to emphasize their cultural significance in the Mediterranean area.
The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil (MEEL) in Sparta is part of the Network of Thematic Museums of Technology created by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP). It is housed in the premises of the old Electricity Company, the use of which was granted to the Foundation by the Municipality of Sparta.
The Museum in its two levels presents the following:
• The age-old history of the olive and olive oil, as well as their multiple contribution to the civilisation that developed in the Greek countryside (especially the economy, local diet and cuisine, hygiene, religious practices, folk customs and traditions).
• The morphology of the olive tree and its cultivation (with detailed presentation of varieties of olive, their classification, the natural environment, the harvesting).
• The development of olive oil production and the related technology in Greece.
• The uses of by-products of olive oil production (olivepomace oil, refining, soap making).
The open-air exhibition of the Museum is especially interesting, since it presents three olive presses: one dating from Prehistory, one dating from Hellenistic times (set in motion during educational activities and programmes), and one dating from the Byzantine era.
The exhibition is enriched with digital media productions, as well as large movable models that help visitors understand the traditional techniques used in the production of olive oil.
The Museum also houses a café, a gallery, a shop and a multi-purpose hall. T
Information about the Museum:
Address: Othonos-Amalias 129, GR-231 00, Sparta & Telephone: (+30) 27310 89315 | www.piop.gr
Opening hours:
From March 1st through to October 15th: Daily (except Tuesdays) 10 am - 6 pm.
From October 16th through to February 28th: Daily (except Tuesdays) 10 am - 5 pm.
Closed on: Tuesdays, January 1st, Good Friday (until 12 noon), (Greek Orthodox) Easter Sunday, May 1st, September 14th (local patronal feast), August 15th, December 25th and 26th.
Admission: Standard entrance fee: € 3,00-Concessionary ticket: € 1.50.
Group visits: For better service, it is recommended to give the Museum advance notice of group visits.
Disabled visitors: Admission for disabled visitors is free. For group visits, it is necessary to notify the Museum in advance.
Photography - Filming Permit: Amateur photography or video filming is permitted. Professional/commercial photography or filming is strictly prohibited without prior special permission from PIOP. Application for special permit.
