At the Onassis Library, different forms of cultural and artistic expression coexist harmoniously and interact simultaneously, creating a comprehensive narrative where culture and history are continuously activated, interpreted, and redefined.

The coexistence of rare publications, archival documents, and works of art within the neoclassical building on Amalias Avenue is not an abstract concept but a tangible reality. The incunables and early printed books of the Hellenic Library, the memoirs of Western European travelers from the Travel Accounts Book Collection, Aristotle Onassis’ Personal Library, the Historical & Literary Archive, the Cavafy Archive, the Onassis Archive, combined with significant works of art displayed throughout the Library, compound a creative assimilation of Greek history and culture.

Aristotle Onassis’ Personal Library, initially located in his business office in Monte Carlo, was the first collection of the Onassis Library. In 2010, with the acquisition of the book collection of Konstantinos Sp. Staikos, the Onassis Library took on a new form with the creation of the Hellenic Library, followed by the addition of subsequent collections. Staikos’ contribution was crucial in establishing and forming the Onassis Library.

Preserving and promoting Greek cultural heritage is a profound commitment of the Onassis Foundation. In this direction, the Onassis Library continuously enhances its collections with new acquisitions of significant value, maximizes the use of new technologies and innovative practices for the digitization of its documents, and creates the appropriate conditions for the openness of its rare cultural resources, so that as many people as possible can access and be inspired by it.

The vision and timeless mission of the Onassis Foundation is to release the forces of our society. Likewise, the vision of the Onassis Library is to preserve and disseminate the rich cultural heritage of our country as perpetual property of the Greek Nation. The goal is to make these books accessible online not only to researchers but also to the general public.