The Museum of Cycladic Art, is a great little gem museum in the hearth of Athens, housing one of the most important collections of Cycladic Art in the world, as well as an impressive collection of Ancient Greek and Cypriot Art. Founded in 1986, it showcases more than 3.000 artefacts, from the 4th millennium BC to the 6th century AD.

 

Today, in the galleries of the MCA the visitor can approach three major subjects: Cycladic Art (3200-2000BC), Cypriot Art (3900 BC – AD 500) and Ancient Greek Art (2000 BC – AD 395).

The Collection of the Museum of Cycladic Art, one of the largest worldwide, is a major attraction, as simple marble figurines depicting naked human figures fascinate the visitor with their simplicity and abstraction, elements that inspired artists of the 20th century, such as Brancusi, Modigliani, Giacometti, Hepworth και Moore.

Apart from archaeology, the temporary exhibitions of the MCA frequently focus on modern and contemporary art, aiming to introduce the public to important 20th century artists (Dali, Picasso, etc.) and explore the links between ancient cultures and modern artistic creation.

Interactive educational programs for schools, children and families, guided tours, temporary exhibitions –archaeological, modern and contemporary–, conferences and various events complete the museum’s cultural profile. The Cycladic Café and the recently renovated Museum Shop are open during visiting hours.

1st Floor - Cycladic Art

Cycladic culture flourished on the islands of the central Aegean during the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC). The MCA collection is one of the most comprehensive collections of Cycladic antiquities worldwide, comprising an astonishing variety of marble figurines and vessels, bronze tools and weapons, as well as pottery from all phases of the Early Cycladic period.

2nd Floor - Ancient Greek Art: A History in Images

The birth of Greek art in the protohistoric Aegean, the development of Classical culture and its gradual dissemination all over the Mediterranean basin constitutes one of the most influential phenomena in the history of western civilization. The MCA holds a large collection of Ancient Greek Art with representative artifacts from all periods between the Middle Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC) to the very end of the Roman period (4th c. AD). The MCA collections of Ancient of Greek Art have been integrated into a single permanent exhibition, titled "Ancient Greek Art – A history in images", which includes approximately 350 objects.

3nd Floor: Cyprus- Aspects of Ancient Art and Culture

The Cypriot collection in the MCA (Th.N. Zintilis collection) is one of the most comprehensive collections of Cypriot antiquities in the world. It contains more than 800 objects that help visitors learn about the history of the island and its relations with other regions of the eastern Mediterranean from the 4th millennium BC to the Early Christian period (6th c. AD).

4th Floor: Daily Life in Antiquity

This permanent exhibition tries to transform our knowledge about daily life in antiquity (as provided by ancient texts and archaeological objects) into vivid images. Visitors are invited into a virtual tour in time and space: the tours starts from the world of the supernatual (gods) and the myth (heroes), goes through the realm of Eros, follows the activities of everyday women and men in their private and public life, explores their religious behaviour, and concludes with their attitudes against death and their beliefs about afterlife and the Underworld.

One hundred forty two objects - mostly dating to the Classical Hellenistic periods (5th-1st c. BC) - are grouped in nine separate units.

The Benaki Museum, established and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, is housed in the Benakis family mansion in downtown Athens, Greece. The museum houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the modern times, an extensive collection of Asian art, hosts periodic exhibitions and maintains a state-of-the-art restoration and conservation workshop. Although the museum initially housed a collection that included Islamic art, Chinese porcelain and exhibits on toys, its 2000 re-opening led to the creation of satellite museums that focused on specific collections, allowing the main museum to focus on Greek culture over the span of the country's history.

The Benaki Museum today feautures various collections of museum: 

Pireos 138:
The new Benaki Museum building is located at 138 Pireos Street, one of the central development axes of Athens. The existing building, which is organised around a central courtyard, is already being refurbished, thanks to co-funding by the Ministry of Culture and the European Union. The new building covers a total area of 8,200 m2 with underground areas of 2,800 m2 and an internal courtyard of 850 m2. The exhibition halls span 3,000 m2. There is an amphitheatre capable of seating 300, as well as areas to house the Museum services.

Greece in Benaki Museum:
The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture is housed in one of the most beautiful neoclassical-style buildings in Athens, near the National Garden and the Hellenic Parliament. It was converted into a museum in order to shelter the collections of Antonis Benakis and was donated to the Greek nation by himself and his three sisters, Alexandra, Penelope and Argine. Following its most recent refurbishment (1989–2000), the building houses a unique exhibition on Greek culture arranged diachronically from prehistory to the 20th century.

Ghika Gallery:
The building at 3 Kriezotou Street belonged to the artist Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika who donated it to the Benaki Museum during his lifetime. The original structure, commissioned by Alexander Hadjikyriakos around 1932, comprised a ground floor and five upper floors. Designed by the architect Kostas Kitsikis, a professor at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), it was a typical example of an interwar apartment block.

Childhood, Toys and Games:
The Benaki Toy Museum opened to the public in 2017. Its holdings, based on the collection of Maria Argyriadi that is among the most important in Europe, include toys, books, ephemera, clothing and other items associated with childhood from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Museum of Islamic Art:
The Islamic art collections of the Benaki Museum are housed in a complex of neo-classical buildings located in the historical centre of Athens, in the Kerameikos district.

Find out more about the museum's collections on Benaki.org

A public space, where everyone has free access and can participate in a multitude of cultural, educational, athletic, environmental and recreational activities and events. It includes the Greek National Opera, the National Library of Greece as well as the Stavros Niarchos Park, one of the largest green areas in Athens, covering 21 hectares.

The SNFCC was created thanks to an exclusive grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which delivered it to the Greek State upon completion. SNFCC Single Member S.A. is a public-benefit nonprofit organization responsible for the operation, maintenance and management of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and the Stavros Niarchos Park while developing and organizing its own series of cultural, educational, environmental and sports activities. It is supervised by the Greek Ministry of Finance.

Redefinig Public Space
The SNFCC and the Stavros Niarchos Park design and construction have significantly contributed to the revitalization of Athens’ Kallithea neighborhood and the Faliro Delta waterfront area after years of neglect.

The high-quality events and activities organized, realized and hosted at the SNFCC, as well as the staff and collaborators’ professionalism, have made the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center a reference point in the greater Athens area, redefining the concept of public space.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is a public space open to all, without any barriers.

Architectural Landmark
Designed by the architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the SNFCC is a donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). In February 2017, upon the completion of its construction, the SNF delivered the SNFCC to the Greek State and society. SNFCC has earned significant architectural distinctions, including the 2018 Award for International Excellence of the Royal Institute of British Architects – RIBA.

Sustainability Hub
Sustainability has been an integral component and a priority of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center since its original inception. This sustainability mandate is reflected upon every aspect of the SNFCC, emerging as a new paradigm in terms of construction, operation, and maintenance of public places and infrastructures. 

Committed to being open to all, the SNFCC has been designed to be fully accessible to persons with disabilities. In addition, many educational programs are been organized to encourage collaboration among children with and without disabilities.

People aged over 65 with minor mobility impairments comprise another group for which the SNFCC has designed programs.

Learn more about the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center at SNFCC.org

A fact that virtually every company will agree with, regardless of size, is that business is becoming increasingly global. So regardless of where a firm is based, when it comes to choosing a provider for an essential service such as office space, it makes sense for them to choose someone that can provide that truly global outlook.

 

The world of flexible working is one of those services. Undoubtedly one of the emerging disruptive trends in recent years, and a growth sector for global business that shows no signs of abating, flexible-office space providers have sprung up to try and service this need in cities all over the world.

 

But regardless of whether they’re pursuing international growth, there are a range of crucial factors all firms should take into consideration before deciding on a flexible-office space provider. From stability to global reach, professionalism and reputation, it’s a simple fact that smaller companies simply can’t contend with what a worldwide provider like IWG can provide.

 

This is something that’s been seen in the Russian market. Smaller, local players may have emerged in the flexible-workspace market there but IWG – with its global reputation and respected brand – has continued to be a firm favourite with tenants in the country’s capital. “One international company planned to move to a competitor due to a lower price, but then preferred to stay at Regus as their HQ considered Regus the most reliable workspace-provider in Moscow,” says Irina Baeva, Country Manager IWG Russia.

With IWG being the biggest global provider of flexible workspace and flexspace-industry experts, it also has an enviable reputation built up over 30 years with market expertise and an infrastructure built on tried and tested processes.

 

High corporate standards across every department, from legal, operations and HR, to training and management are all strictly monitored by head office too. As well as the longevity and stability provided by IWG, in markets such as Russia there are also the myriad of practical advantages that being backed up by a truly global business provides as well. “Some international/foreign companies choose Regus because they can pay in USD, not only in Roubles,” adds Baeva. “The local players do not accept payments in foreign currency.”

 

When deciding on a flexible-workspace provider, it’s also important to consider that IWG is following a model that has seen it establish and successfully operate in 3,300 locations in over 1,000 towns and cities in more than 110 countries.

“Regus is known on the market for the ability to fastest set up an office space for a customer, so that they can move in ASAP,” she says. “While other market players are catching up, Regus still has the best standards and expertise in this regard.”

The dawn of a new year often brings with it a flurry of resolutions, but let’s face it: most fail before February rolls around. For businesses, the stakes are higher—half-hearted resolutions can waste resources and miss opportunities. Instead of recycling tired strategies, why not approach this year with a fresh mindset? Here’s how to make your New Year’s resolutions work for your business in a unique and meaningful way.

Before you set lofty resolutions, pause and reflect: What problems need solving in your business?

Once you identify problems, your resolutions become solutions. For instance, instead of saying, "Increase customer retention," resolve to "Identify and address bottlenecks in our customer journey." Problem-solving is far more actionable than generic goal-setting.

Traditional resolutions are often rigid and numerical: "Increase revenue by 20%" or "Hire five new employees." Instead, consider adopting themes for the year—broad areas of focus that guide your decisions. For example:

• Year of Efficiency: Streamline processes and cut unnecessary costs.
• Year of Connection: Strengthen relationships with clients, partners, and employees.
• Year of Experimentation: Test bold ideas, new markets, or innovative products.

Themes allow for adaptability and creativity while maintaining strategic focus.

Why make a single resolution when you can experiment? Choose one aspect of your business, like marketing or customer engagement, and commit to running small, manageable experiments throughout the year.

For instance:

• Test new social media platforms for engagement.
• Experiment with remote work policies to improve productivity.
• Pilot a subscription model for one of your services.

Track what works and scale it up. Think of this as a scientific approach to growth—data-driven and results-oriented.

Sometimes, the most effective resolutions are about subtraction, not addition. Ask yourself:

• What activities or processes are draining resources without delivering results?
• What meetings could be eliminated?
• What products or services no longer align with your mission?

Make this the year of strategic pruning. Letting go of inefficiencies frees up time and energy to focus on what truly matters.

Resolutions often focus on numbers, systems, or outputs, but the true engine of any business is its people. This year, resolve to invest in them:

• Create a "personal growth fund" for employees to spend on courses, workshops, or hobbies.
• Host monthly brainstorming sessions where every team member can pitch ideas.
• Recognize and celebrate achievements—big or small—regularly.

A motivated, engaged team will help your business thrive far beyond 2025.

The Pareto Principle—80% of results come from 20% of efforts—can revolutionize your resolutions. Instead of trying to fix everything, focus on the few areas where your business already excels and double down.

For example:

• If word-of-mouth brings in most of your clients, resolve to amplify customer referrals.
• If your team shines in creativity, invest in innovative campaigns.
• If a specific product dominates sales, explore complementary offerings.

Play to your strengths, and let them work harder for you.

Here’s the thing: resolutions aren’t about perfection; they’re about progress. Instead of rigidly sticking to a resolution that’s not working, give yourself permission to adapt. Build a culture where failing fast and learning from mistakes is celebrated.

At the end of the year, success isn’t just about achieving every resolution—it’s about growing, learning, and building a better version of your business.

If all else feels overwhelming, simplify your resolutions into a single, powerful word that encapsulates your business’s focus for the year. Words like "growth," "innovation," or "trust" can serve as guiding principles for every decision you make.

First established in 1989, Regus is one of the original pioneers of flexible workspace, helping businesses choose a way of working that’s best for their people.

Now spanning the world with over 3,000 locations, Regus’ global network of bright, inspiring workspaces allows modern businesses to work where, when and how they want, in a more agile way. Regus provides businesses with the flexibility to grow without risk or commitment, and attracts a diverse network of 2.5 million people, from entrepreneurs and SMEs to multi-national blue-chip companies.

 

Regus is an operating brand of IWG plc: the holding group for a number of leading workspace providers. Other brands in the IWG portfolio include Spaces, HQ, No18 and Signature by Regus.

Greece's recovery from the economic crisis is still ongoing, but as its startup and tech community has begun to grow in earnest, so has the demand for flexible co-working spaces from entrepreneurs and executives over the traditional, fixed office environments that come with long-term leases and high overhead costs.

Co-working spaces provide shared, collaborative environments that can house like-minded people, and have been used by companies to better manage risk and reduce CapEx/OpEx, while Athens has become a real hub for the country's burgeoning tech sector, which is now starting to truly thrive.

Marco Veremis, an angel investor and the founder of one of Greece's tech success stories, Upstream, recently told the Financial Times that he estimates Greek tech companies today have a combined market capitalisation of around €2bn – a decade ago, it was nearly zero.

This has been helped by the government-backed investment schemes created in recent years to help young Greek businesses get going. Uni.fund provides seed capital to startups in Greek universities focusing on R&D and the tech space, while SMEs can apply to EquiFund, a fund-of-funds co-financed by the European Investment Fund that aims to strengthen the venture capital market in Greece.

While tech companies grow and the country’s economy continues to recover, flexible workspaces are becoming increasingly popular. By September, IWG will have opened four coworking spaces in Greece in the space of a year.

Katerina Manou, VP Sales at IWG in Greece, says flexible workspaces have emerged in the country as a response to specific market conditions and firm requirements. “Increased external volatility, high sunk costs for setting up conventional office space, an emphasis on flexibility to expand and contract operations in line with business development are all factors that have contributed to making flexible workplaces an attractive option,” she said.

One of the outcomes of the crisis over the past decade has been that perceptions within the business community about the most efficient way to run both small and large firms have been “fundamentally reshaped,” Manou said. “It is now clearer than ever that the workspace should not be a liability for the bottom line of a firm, but an asset contributing to a firm's operations,” she added.

And Manou says that “a new generation of entrepreneurs and executives have embraced the idea, and are driving demand, as the Greek economy is slowly picking up again”. On a real estate level, turning conventional office premises into coworking spaces can breathe new life into under-utilised properties, and can revive entire districts that are run down due to the economic downturn,” she added. 

But flexible workspaces offer benefits to all types of businesses, not just start-ups. And as IWG's 2019 Global Workspace Survey has shown, flexible working is the new norm. After canvassing more than 15,000 businesses across 80 countries, IWG found that the number of employees who want flexible working options has grown to 75 per cent, while over half of workers globally are getting their job done from outside their main office headquarters for at least 2.5 days of the week.

And while flexible working may once have been the natural choice for small-to-medium sized businesses, it is becoming a cost-effective option for a number of large, global corporate companies that are using it as a way to become more agile and to help mitigate risk, the research found. A total of 65% of businesses said having a flexible workspace helped them to reduce CapEx/OpEx, shed unnecessary assets, and consolidate their portfolio.

Manou adds that while flexible workspaces allow companies to reduce the cost of operations and become more competitive, which in turn benefits the Greek economy, they are also helping a new era of business leaders “who have come to terms with the idea that business survival depends on how flexible firms are in reacting to external disruptions, and are able to adapt by turning challenges into opportunities,” she said.

Could a serviced office be the right option for you?
Check out Regus' flexible workspace locations to find a base for your international team!

This content has been sponsored by IWG - an XpatAthens Brand Partner.

The great skill in human resources is having a sixth sense for how people want to work. It takes a certain amount of clairvoyance to know what the talent of today is thinking – how, where and why they want to turn up to the office.

In today’s world, the increasingly apparent truth is that employees value flexibility, convenience and vibrancy – all great benefits of moving to a co-working space.

“The war on talent is really in full force,” says Sharon Edmondson, IWG Vice President of Human Resources – Americas & Global LSCs. “To be competitive, you have to be able to offer more to your employees than just competitive compensation and benefits. People are wanting more of a sense of community and vibe, to be able to find more to connect to than just the job role itself.”

Employees who are considering a change of employer, then, are looking at a much wider range of considerations than salary alone. And rewarding that desire quickly feeds back into productivity.

“If you've got segregated employees sitting in remote spots, or working from home,” adds Edmondson, “then that isolation leads to drops in both productivity and engagement. What I love in IWG spaces is that you start to see employees from all different companies eating together or grabbing a coffee. You start to leverage the benefits of other employers to build that community and brand within your own organization.”

Employees increasingly want to be in a flexible, lively, dynamic environment. It’s no secret that a trusted, engaged employee is a productive one. In the 2019 IWG Global Workplace Survey, 85% of employers confirmed that productivity had improved as a result of greater flexibility.

Flexible workspaces add $254bn to local economies and contribute to worker well-being, study finds. A new report from IWG's operating brand Regus finds that the introduction of a flexible workspace adds an average $16.47m and a better quality of life to local economies.

According to a new report from Development Economics and commissioned by Regus, flexible-office space will contribute $254bn (£196bn) to local economies over the next 10 years. The research is an indication that providing more office space closer to home and cutting down on commute times is having a significant impact on both job creation and employee well-being, with the demand for flexspace on the rise in response to the changing nature of work.

Mark Dixon, the CEO of International Workplace Group (IWG), believes this growth in out-of-town workspace is partly down to support for a flexible working policy among employees: “When people commute into major cities, their wallets commute with them,” he says. “Working locally keeps that spending power closer to home. What this study shows is that providing more opportunities for people to work closer to home can have a tremendous effect, not just on them, but on their local area too.”

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The first major socioeconomic study of its kind, it found that the presence of flexspace created up to 128 new jobs and a Gross Value Add (GVA) – or sandwich economy – of $16.47m (£12.7m) per area.

The independently-conducted report examined 19 countries from Belgium to Brazil, and also revealed the positive impact a local workspace can have environmentally and socially. A local flexspace is expected to save an average of 7,416 hours in commuting time per year – and also help to save 118 metric tonnes of carbon in the process.

Globally, this amounts to 2,560,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent of 128,000 flights between London and New York – which has huge implications for the way we think about the where and how of work in the 21st century (especially when green issues and worker well-being are considered).

According to its author, Steve Lucas, the report shows a profound change in global working culture: “This study reveals a shift in jobs and capital growth moving outside of city centres, where it has been focused for the last few decades, into suburban locations,” he comments.

As the trend for a flexible-working policy continues to spread, the numbers are getting bigger too: from the roles created by running the building itself, to the ancillary jobs that spring up to serve the new business community. Amongst these many economic benefits, flexible office space is predicted to add a staggering $254bn of value to local economies around the globe over the next 10 years – roughly the same as the entire economy of the Czech Republic in 2019. It’s perhaps another indication that growth is still an important part of an economy – but it’s shifting location, and it’s doing so with the potential to be more evenly distributed.

 

As the world’s leading workspace-provider, the global reach that Regus provides means it can spread a positive influence that goes beyond the merely practical: its size allows it to make a real socio-economic impact on a local community, and a positive impact on quality of life. As new generations enter the workforce, question the old way of doing things, and respond to the various challenges presented by life today (from environmental considerations to a better work and life balance), flexwork appears here to stay.

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Check out Regus' flexible workspace locations to find a base for your international team!

 This content has been sponsored by IWG - an XpatAthens Brand Partner.
Originally published at Regus.com