Μουσειολογική επισκόπηση του περιοδικού Προμηθεύς (1890-1892): Το Φυσιογραφικό Μουσείο του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών και μουσεία φυσικών επιστημών του εξωτερικού στο τέλος του 19ου αιώνα

Abstract

This article aims to present and analyze the information found in the scientific journal Prometheus (1890-1892) regarding natural science museums internationally, but mainly regarding the Physiographic Museum (Natural History Museum) of the University of Athens, the operation of which had been influenced by the "struggle" between the natural sciences and the humanities in Greece at the end of the 19th century.

Through the scientific journal Prometheus we can trace the particular cultural, ideological, economic and political context that influenced the development of the Greek Physiographic Museum and the role of the editors of the journal Prometheus (who were also scientific collaborators of the Museum) in the scientific tradition of the country. By mediating the Physiographic Museum to the greek public, they served the social role they have chosen, filling the institutional gap in the promotion of natural sciences in Greece of the time, presenting research and scientific pioneering with every means at their disposal, taking on the responsibility of raising the general educational level and combating ignorance and superstition.

All the above elements are valuable for the Greek museum history, as well as for us today, because the Physiographic Museum, one of the first museums in Greece, the first Greek university museum and the oldest Greek museum of natural sciences, survives to this day with its material scattered throughout the scientific museums of the University of Athens.