MUSEUMS

History of the Cyprus Theater Museum

In 1987, Nikos S. Nikolaides, an optician by profession and an amateur actor, donated his rare theatre archive to the Municipality of Lemesos.By doing so he laid the foundation stone for the establishment of the Cyprus Theatre Museum.From a very young age and until his death, Nikos S. Nikolaides (1909-1989) systematically collected material relating to theatre and its activities in Cyprus. His decision to bequeath this important collection to the Municipality of Lemesos was the beginning of joint efforts carried out by the Municipality of Lemesos and the Cyprus Theatre Organisation for the establishment of a Theatre Museum, which would preserve the history of theatre in Cyprus.In 1989, two years after Nicolaides’ donation, the process of finding a suitable site which would house the Cyprus Theatre Museum began.

After Panos Solomonides’ generous donation to the Municipality of Lemesos, the Kouvas printing factory was purchased, which wasgradually transformed into the the Panos Solomonides Cultural Centre that opened its doors in 2010. Today, this venue houses the CyprusTheatre Museum, which, apart from the collection of Nikos S. Nikolaides, also includes Giorgos Filis’ archive with material of the Organisation for the Development of Theatre (OTHAK), Giorgos Vatyliotis’ photographic archive, material belonging to the Cyprus Theatre Organisation, as well as exhibits from many theatre professionals and companies that donated or lent various objects from their unique collections.

Printed material, costumes, scale models, props, set and costume designs, as well as photographs and posters constitute the exhibits ofthe permanent collection of the Cyprus Theatre Museum, giving visitors the opportunity to take a virtual tour in the island’s history of theatre.

The museum is divided into thematic sections that consist of: ‘The History’ (a journey through the major stages of theatre activity on the island); ‘The Contributors’ (exhibits related to the basic stages of theatre production), and ‘The Performance’ (showcasing costumes from significant and emblematic performances of the island’s theatre history).

Information:

8, Panos Solomonides Street, tel +357 25343464.

Bus Nr 30 Any bus stop at seafront road. Get off in front of the Catholic church and go to St. Andreou Str.