National Historical Museum, Athens

Designed by the French architect François Boulanger, this museum initially served as the first home of the Greek parliament, with Queen Amalía laying the foundation stone in 1858. The imposing chamber of the Old Parliament of the Hellenes witnessed the presence of some of the country's most renowned early prime ministers, including Theódoros Deligiánnis, whose life was tragically ended by an assassination on the building's steps in 1905. Subsequently, the parliament relocated to its present-day site on Syntagma Square in 1935.

In 1961, the building was repurposed as the National Historical Museum, under the ownership of the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece, whose mission is to collect artifacts that shed light on the history of modern Greece. The museum offers a comprehensive portrayal of major events in Greek history, spanning from the Byzantine period to the 20th century. Among the exhibited items are Venetian armor, regional costumes, and figureheads from the warships used during the 1821 Revolution.

The collection also highlights significant parliamentary figures, philhellenes, and leaders of the War of Independence, showcasing items such as Byron's sword, the weapons of Theódoros Kolokotrónis (1770–1843), King Otto's throne, and the pen used by Elefthérios Venizélos to sign the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920. There are notable paintings as well, including a rare woodcut depicting the Battle of Lepanto (1571), created by Bonastro.

Outside the museum stands a replica of Lázaros Sóchos's equestrian statue of Kolokotrónis, sculpted in 1900, with the original located in Náfplio, the former capital of Greece. An inscription on the statue reads (in Greek): "Ride on, noble commander, through the centuries, showing the nations how slaves may become free men." Across the street, the Greek Communist Party used to have its headquarters, and there was a humorous saying that Kolokotrónis's finger pointed in that direction to signify his indignation.