The Nikos Kazantzakis Museum celebrated the International Museum Day 2024 by proudly presenting to the public for the first time the major energy upgrading and digital transformation projects it implemented during the 2023-2024 period. With these works, the Kazantzakis Museum now becomes a very modern, green and digital museum, while it remains the only non-state museum in Crete that has received the title of "Recognized Museum" from the Ministry of Culture. The successful completion of the two major projects is essentially the third milestone in the Museum's historical journey, the other two being its establishment in 1983 and its radical renovation in 2010.
With the energy upgrade program, extensive interventions were carried out in all the building facilities of the Museum (Permanent Exhibition, Multipurpose Room/Shop, Conference Center, Offices/Library) which involved the installation of an external thermal facade of the shell, thermal-waterproofing of the roof/roof, photovoltaic systems, the replacement frames and glazing and finally the upgrade of the heating-cooling system and lighting. At the same time, work was carried out to upgrade the Museum's infrastructure in terms of cabling and networks. The project was financed by a program of the Ministry of Development and Investments with the Municipality of Archanes-Asterousia in charge of completion.
On the other hand, with the digital transformation program, the Kazantzakis Museum acquired a wide range of digital applications using augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, greatly enriching the museum experience of its visitors, bringing them closer to the life and work of Nikos Kazantzakis in an innovative way. These digital tools will be freely available to the physical and digital visitors of the Museum. Some illustrative examples: a guided tour application and digital representations of Kazantzakis' works for children on mobile phones, an audio tour for families, a 360° virtual museum, a "waterfall" installation of words from Kazantzakis' "Odyssey", an interactive chronology of the author's life, literary routes and games for children on large touch screens. The project was financed by the "EPANEK 2014-2020" Operational Program of the Ministry of Development and Investments with Nova as contractor and Aegean Solutions as subcontractor.
With the completion of these projects, the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum opens a new page looking towards a more environmentally friendly future, with upgraded infrastructure and open to technological innovation and the digital world.
The event was attended by Mr. Frangiskos Parasiris, PASOK Member of Parliament of Heraklion.
