Nikos Kazantzakis Museum: The first officially accredited by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture non-public museum in Crete
The Nikos Kazantzakis Museum was notified of the decision
of the Ministry of Culture and Sports to approve its accreditation, thus
successfully completing the Foundation's long journey in the demanding but
multi-beneficial evaluation process that began in 2018 and has just now been
completed.
The Ministry's decision, which followed the unanimous
opinion of the Council of Museums, is a milestone in its operation and a
practical reward for the constant effort of the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum to
modernize and synchronize its pace with international professional standards. The awarding of the "Accredited Museum"
mark, which is the first mark awarded to a Cretan Museum, certifies that the
Nikos Kazantzakis Museum meets specific quality standards and that it has
demonstrably applied best practices in all areas of its organization and
operation.
Specifically, the Ministry's decision is based on
eleven criteria, all necessary for the accreditation of a Museum and which
certify that the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum:
- It has the required legal and factual conditions.
- It has an organizational chart and internal operating regulations.
- It has been organized to high professional and scientific standards.
- It preserves exemplary and enriches its collections.
- It presents the necessary financial viability to fulfill its objectives.
- It has the personnel necessary for its operation.
- It successfully fulfills its educational role.
- It has created cooperation networks with higher educational institutions, research centers, cultural institutions, as well as with specialized scientists in Greece and abroad.
- It plans its actions (exhibitions, educational programs, publications) according to its stated mission and objectives.
- It is housed in buildings suitable and with sufficient space for its needs.
- It is socially active.
The Nikos Kazantzakis Museum has been operating since
1983 with the main mission of saving the author's memory and promoting his work
and thought. Guided by the modern specifications of a Museum, and in particular
a Museum dedicated to a great writer and thinker, such as Nikos Kazantzakis,
with respect to its founder, George Anemogiannis, and his history, proceeded in
2008 with the radical renovation of its Permanent Exhibition and re-exhibition
of its Collections in the context of the overall effort to upgrade the infrastructure
and improve the services offered. Since then, it has been constantly trying to
monitor the developments and respond to the challenges of the time and society,
constantly increasing the actions of extroversion, being an active core of
culture in the hinterland of the Prefecture of Heraklion with international
radiation. Its accreditation by the Ministry of Culture just before the
celebration of forty years since its establishment creates feelings of emotion,
joy and satisfaction.
Statement by the Chairman of the Board of the Museum,
Professor Michalis Taroudakis:
"The accreditation of the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum by the Ministry of Culture is an important reward for the hard work of its executives, who under difficult circumstances try to keep the spirit and work of Nikos Kazantzakis accessible to all the society. It is self-evident for all of us that the role of a Museum does not stop at the exhibition of documents related to the thematic of a Museum, but proceeds with actions of research, education and general extroversion, so that both the public and specialized researchers have multiple possibilities of assimilating and exploiting the Museum's material, making use of every possible medium The Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, dedicated to but also faithful to the spirit of the Great Cretan writer and thinker, followed the tactic of an uphill climb that continues and will continue, but had an important stop on the eve of the celebration of 40 years since its establishment: Its accreditation by the Ministry of Culture. The accreditation of a Museum is a formal presumption of the value of its organization and its persistence in achieving its goals.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Museum, I express my warm thanks to all the staff of the Museum, thanks to the efforts and dedication of which the organization and operation of the Museum was possible at the levels necessary for its accreditation, and especially to the former Director of Varvara Tsakas who had the responsibility of coordinating the multi-year effort that had the happy result."
