Banknote Museum of Alpha Bank, Corfu

Nestled in the historic heart of Corfu, the Banknote Museum of Alpha Bank occupies a beautifully preserved neoclassical edifice originally built for the Ionian Bank in the mid‑19th century. Designed by Corfiot architect Ioannis Chronis around 1840, this distinguished building once housed the first branch of the Ionian Bank. Since 2000, following the bank's merger with Alpha Bank, the site has carried forward its legacy with renewed purpose and care.

Established in 1981, the museum opened a window into Greek numismatic history, and after a careful renovation in the early 2000s, it reopened to the public in 2005. This transformation was guided by historian Aris Rapidis and included input from John Keyworth of the Bank of England, ensuring international museum standards in presentation and curation.

Inside, visitors embark on a chronological journey through nearly two centuries of Greece’s monetary evolution-from the revolutionary bonds issued in 1822 by the fledgling Greek State, through the iconic phoenix banknotes of Governor Kapodistrias, to the final drachma banknotes phased out in favor of the euro in 2002. Alongside around 2,000 banknotes, the displays showcase printing plates, essays, rare specimens like the 1860 “colonata,” and even a remarkable Byzantine‑inspired note depicting Hagia Sophia from 1920 that was never circulated.

Free to all visitors and thoughtfully interpreted in both Greek and English, the museum packs a rich, engaging experience into a manageable visit, typically around 30 to 45 minutes.