The history of the strange Atlantis museum

The museum of Atlantis was founded in 1981 by the writer-researcher Vasilis Paschos.

The beginning happened with the elaboration of a plan "Rules of Function of a Atlantis Museum" that was signed by the writer on 16-8-1981. The next day he deposit it to the National Library for the protection of the intellectual properly and got the number 507/17.8.81.

He reported the foundation of the private museum by sending the regulation plan and a copy of the bulletin 507/1981 to the Ministry of Culture and science, to the Municipality of Athens and to the Academy of Athens. From theese offices he received confirmation documents for the opening of files about the observation of the progress of the Museum...

This is how he started the foundation of the Museum of Atlantis. By submitting the  data to the above offices (authorities), the auhor "entered the dance" and began collecting objects. The flat where he lived (in Iraklio of Attiki), was converted into a small exhibition for the objects of his collection. His house was not very accessible to the public. However his friends who visited him encouraged him to go and ask for the financial support of the Ministry of Culture. For this reason he met with Melina Mercuri, the Minister of Culture, whom he had known her for a long time, and asked for her help.

The Ministry of Culture , in a letter, replied that, in order to be able to help the private Museum of Atlantis, it must become a Union, ie a Legal Entity under Private Law. In other words, certain conditions were needed: at least 20 adult-founding members of the association, meetings, minutes, articles of association, lawyer, court decision, publications, ..., a lot of money. However, if there is a strong mood, everything happens:

Following the advice of the Ministry of Culture, in October 1982, on the initiative of V. Paschos, a meeting of 21 adult members took place (see Figure 1), and they drafted the founding regulations of the new association. After reading the articles of association, we signed them and we elected a temporary Steering Committee. Thus began the establishment of an association called the "Society for the Promotion of Museum of Atlantis" (S.P.M.A.), and in December 1982 it was approved by the Athens Multi-Member Court of First Instance.

The purpose of the established "Society for the ...." was the administration and promotion of the Museum and the promotion of the study, historical, archaeological and mythological of the subject of Atlantis and the enrichment of the Museum with its objects.

The first public screening of the Museum took place on 22/10/1982 with a speech by its founder that took place on the cruise ship "ATLANTIS" traveling from Crete to Santorini. His speech was translated into modern English for foreign passengers.

In October 1983, the first regular general assembly of the members of the Association was held and the first Board of Directors was elected, which was formed in a body with the composition as shown in Figure 2.

In January of 1984 the museum with the first objects and its equipment, was housed in a room which we hired in Iraklio of Attiki where happened its official inauguration. In June 1988 the Museum changed its building again. It was housed in a new larger room, in the New World. In this new space, the Museum operated normally until 2000, seven years after the death of its founder Vassilis Paschos.

However, despite the activities of the members of the "Society for the Promotion of Museum Atlantis", this was still not reinforced, neither by the Ministry of Culture, nor by the Municipality of Heraklion and Athens. Today most of the objects of the Museum have been transferred again, to the original apartment, in Heraklion.

The efforts of the deceased researcher were continued by his son, Theodoros Paschos, professor in secondary education, mechanical engineer, who also conceived the idea of ​​the Museum's presence and the Atlantis case on the world wide web (INTERNET), starting from 2000 with creation of the Site "www. atlantida.gr", the only one in Greece with complete and varied information about the Atlantis hypothesis. After some years the website changed to "www.atlanteans.gr". Going through various waves, the Site, after at some point sinking following the fate of the Lost Country, in the year 2022 emerged with a new form, new information and with an approximate point of view taking into account the new scientific research.

I created and published these web pages on the internet about the Atlantis museum and the myth-history of the Lost Country, to inform and reflect, and to be the center of a rich exchange of views between scientists, researchers and ordinary students, users, etc.