With the certification of the Archaeological Museums of Epirus -‘Arta, Igoumenitsa, Ioannina and Nikopolis-, in accordance with the institutional framework of 2021, the pilot implementation of the certification process of the state museums operating or established by the Ministry of Culture, in the context of the reform its program, “Hellenic Museum Recognition and Certification System”. As stated in the relevant announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the program will now develop with the state museum organizations of Western Macedonia and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

“Following the instructions given to the competent Ephorates of Antiquities of Arta, Thesprotia, Ioannina and Preveza, it became possible to complete the certification process of the respective archaeological museums of Epirus, within the first quarter of 2024, after the positive opinion of the Council of Museums of Ministry of Culture. They are the first cluster of state-certified museums – out of approximately 200 – as certification is a mandatory procedure for museums under the Ministry’s jurisdiction,” said the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, among others.

“The Museum certification process, in combination with the adoption and observance of their recent internal operating regulations, is a prerequisite for the certification of each museum, facilitating the targeting, the implementation of innovative proposals and good practices, in all aspects of their operation. This is a a holistic effort to upgrade the country’s museum structures with the aim of their reciprocity to the visitor, but also their empowerment as carriers of culture, lifelong learning and social cohesion, on the basis of the new organizational structure and management philosophy. Our goal, always, remains the attracting, mainly, young audiences but also more and diverse audiences, from Greece and abroad”, added the minister.

The process for the four Archaeological Museums of Epirus began in November 2021, with the autopsy carried out by an echelon of the competent central services, in Epirus. In September 2023, following the determination, by the Directorate of Archaeological Museums, Exhibitions and Educational Programs, of a series of, as a minimum, horizontal prerequisites for the performance of the Certification Mark, the Ephorates of Antiquities of Arta, Thesprotia, Ioannina and Preveza worked systematically for fulfilling the criteria for the museums of their jurisdiction.

The certification process takes into account the scale and special characteristics of each state museum. A basic tool of the Certification process is the self-evaluation of each museum organization, by filling in a form that constitutes an x-ray of all its functions. Each museum is asked to describe its organizational, financial and executive structure, its building infrastructure, the method of organization, the documentation tools and the means of management and maintenance of its collections, the communication policy, the outreach actions as well as the services offered. to the public.