Antonis Benakis

Who was Antonis Benakis?

Antonis Benakis was a Greek art collector and the founder of the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, the son of politician and magnate Emmanuel Benakis and the brother of author Penelope Delta. He is the hero of Delta's book "Trellantonis", a literary account of the sundry, mischievous adventures of children growing up in Alexandria, Egypt, in the early 20th century.

He moved permanently to Athens in 1926. It is certain that Antonis Benakis, the founder of the Benaki Museum, was influenced by the example of his father Emmanuel Benakis, and the great statesman Eleftherios Venizelos, a close friend and colleague.

During his own lifetime Benakis donated the museum that he created to the Greek state, now the world-renowned Benaki Museum. Of equal importance was his continuous involvement, until his death, in enriching and improving the organisation of the museum’s holdings, and his role in ensuring its financial security.

Benakis was a member of the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1949 until 1951.