The Salt Museum in Messolonghi, Greece, is a unique cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history and importance of salt. Situated within the lagoon of Messolonghi, a protected Natura 2000 and Ramsar wetland, the Museum offers visitors not only a cultural journey through the heritage of salt but also the chance to experience one of Europe’s most remarkable natural landscapes, home to flamingos, pelicans, and herons.
From exhibition to museum
The idea of creating a Salt Museum was born in 2010, when Nikos Kordosis and Despina Kanelli organised the exhibition Salt, the White Treasure through the cultural organisation DIEKSODOS - Centre for Speech and Art. Together they conceived the idea that later grew into a museum. Nikos Kordosis, founder of DIEKSODOS, is also the founder of the Salt Museum, while Despina Kanelli serves as its director.
From the outset, the Museum was conceived not only as an exhibition space, but as a place where history, economy, environment, and community could converge. It highlights the vital role of salt in global history, health, agriculture, and religion, while also showcasing the unique biodiversity of the lagoon. Within just five years, the Museum has become a recognised cultural hub, receiving international awards including the Activist Museum Award (University of Leicester), the Portimão Award (EMYA), and a nomination this year for the Luigi Micheletti Award (EMA). It was also honoured by the Academy of Athens for its contribution to preserving industrial heritage.
Our philosophy and aims
The philosophy of the Museum is rooted in the belief that salt heritage is not just about the past. It is a living story that continues to shape communities, economies, and environments. The Museum aims to: >Preserve and promote the industrial heritage of salt production. >Contribute to environmental sustainability and climate change awareness. >Support the local economy by attracting visitors and promoting local products. >Foster social inclusion and accessibility for all. >Serve as a cultural meeting point for creativity, education, and community pride.
Rainwater harvesting tank after restoration
Activism in practice
The Activist Museum Award recognises museums that actively engage with society, drive positive change, and demonstrate the transformative power of culture. In our case, activism has many faces:
Local economy: Since its foundation, the Salt Museum has been a catalyst for local development. Visitors come to Messolonghi specifically to see the Museum, but they also stay in hotels, eat in local restaurants, and purchase local goods. Inside the Museum shop, products from local producers are promoted, ensuring that cultural tourism directly benefits the community. For local residents, entrance to the Museum is always free, underlining our role as a shared cultural space rather than a commercial enterprise.
Environmental action: Messolonghi’s salt pans are fragile ecosystems, vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. The Museum collaborates with the University of Patras and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki on environmental research and has restored an old rainwater collection tank to reduce water waste and meet its irrigation needs sustainably. Guided by a “do no harm” approach, we restrict access to sensitive breeding areas of birds and explore renewable energy solutions for future operations.
Social inclusion: Accessibility and inclusion are central to our work. The Museum is fully adapted for people with mobility impairments and offers Braille captions, multilingual audioguides, and a replica salt pan for visitors unable to reach the production sites. We also proudly welcome pets, providing essential amenities for their comfort. These gestures form part of our activist approach: ensuring culture is open, friendly, and welcoming to all.
Community engagement: Beyond its exhibitions, the Museum has become a cultural stage for the local community. Open-air cinema, concerts, book presentations, and art events are organised regularly, making the Museum a true hub of civic life. This has inspired local pride and encouraged a cultural turn within the community itself.
What makes us different
Our story is unusual: most museums of comparable scale rely on state or European funds. We started with none. This independence has shaped our character -ambitious, resourceful, and deeply committed to our community. It has also defined our style: every visitor is personally welcomed with a guided tour, ensuring they feel like guests rather than ticket holders.
This personalised hospitality, combined with the surprising depth of salt’s story - from its 14,000 uses to its global economic impact - creates a powerful experience. Visitors leave not only informed, but also amazed at how a single mineral has shaped human civilisation.
Aerial view of the Salt Museum and its unique setting by the Mesolonghi salt pans
Challenges and lessons
The greatest challenge has always been financial. Without public subsidies, every initiative requires careful planning and self-funding. Recognition and awards, however, gave us the confidence to dream more boldly and to set higher goals. When the Museum first opened during the COVID-19 pandemic with only 1,700 visitors, we could not imagine the visibility and affection it would gain. Today, we expect nearly 30,000 annual visitors.
We would not call our path mistake-free, but rather challenge-driven. Each obstacle has been an opportunity to grow. The real lesson was that the Museum’s impact exceeded all expectations, teaching us to embrace growth with confidence.
Defining professional excellence
For us, professional excellence is not about size or funding, but about quality of vision and impact. It is achieved when the visitor experience is meaningful, engaging, and memorable -when people leave not only informed but also inspired. It is also about ensuring that culture is delivered with openness and respect for diversity, building partnerships with universities and institutions that generate new knowledge, and serving as a genuine resource for the community.
This, in our view, is the essence of professional excellence: creating a high-quality cultural experience that leaves a lasting social, economic, and environmental imprint.
Advice for others
To all institutions considering similar projects, our advice is simple: never underestimate the power of a clear vision and a strong relationship with your community. Funding is important, but it is not decisive. What matters most is authenticity, consistency, and openness. If you become a space where people feel welcomed, inspired, and proud, then the Museum ceases to be just a building -it becomes a movement.
Conclusion
The Salt Museum is proud to be a living example of activist museology in practice. It shows how a local cultural vision can grow into a force for community development, environmental sustainability, and international recognition in just a few years.
In Messolonghi, salt is more than a mineral -it is a story of resilience, collaboration, and transformation. We believe our experience demonstrates that museums, no matter how small or new, can act as sparks for wider social and cultural change.