Main Building – Hippocrates Street No. 17
The first building of the Leventis Municipal Museum was housed in a late 19th century home which belonged to the Evangelides family and was given as dowry to Elenitsa Evangelides when she married the Athenian doctor Nicolaos Dervis, in 1885. In honour of Doctor Dervis, the Nicosia Municipality named the road in front of this building Hippocratous Street. The building had two floors until 1915. A third was added when the couple’s daughter, Ioanna, married. In the same year, the son of the family, Themistocles finished his medical studies in Europe and set up his own medical practice and clinic. Other than having a successful career as a doctor, Themistocles was also very active. His keen interest in politics led him initially to the position of Nicosia mayor, a post he held for 28 years. He was also effectively the founder of the Cyprus National Party and contributed in his own way to the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.
Converting the building into a museum was no simple task, but the experience and sensitivity of architect, Pefkios Georghiades, bore fruit. Restoration work began in late 1986.
Constantine Leventis Wing – Hippocrates Street No. 15
The building at 15 Hippocrates Street was the dowry of Aspasia Evangelides, sister of Elenitsa Dervis. Aspasia married Christodoulos Severis, who was appointed first mayor of Nicosia in 1892. The neo-classical building on 15 Hippocrates Street was converted into the Victoria Hotel during the decade 1930-40, but any glamour eventually disappeared and the building was very far from a modern hotel after 1974. The building was bought by the Nicosia Sewage Board, in 1984, again at the prodding and encouragement of then mayor and chairman of the Board Lellos Demetriades. It was renovated and converted into offices by the late Alexis Theodosiades. On December 31, 2001 an agreement was signed between the board and the A.G. Leventis Foundation which bought the building. Under the agreement, the building was to be transferred to the Foundation with a view to expanding the Museum once the new headquarters of the Board were completed. Thus, in November, 2007, the building was handed over to the Foundation and work began to convert it and to link the two buildings. With the completion of the project in 2009, the Constantinos Leventis Wing now provides a significant and much needed expansion of the exhibition space of the Museum and of the area housing the library and archives, as well as the offices.
The House of Educational Programmes – Solon Street No.18
In 2001, a small 18th century building where one of the town’s best known teachers, Nicolaos Tsikkinis, was born and lived was purchased, again with funds from the Foundation. Once renovated, it has been in operation since 2006, serving as the home for educational programmes, but also hosting small periodic exhibitions and specialized educational programmes.
Admission
Admission FREE
The Museum operates on a system of voluntary donations
