“Thessaloniki in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries: Social and Cultural Life.”

The Foundation of the Museum for the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) presents the temporary photographic and archival exhibition “Thessaloniki in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries: Social and Cultural Life.”

Through rare photographic material, contemporary press publications, and valuable archival documents, the exhibition highlights the historical and cultural character of Thessaloniki from the late 19th to the early 20th century. It explores the city’s everyday life, the coexistence of its diverse communities, economic activity, cultural production, and the social transformations that shaped its modern identity.

The exhibition was first presented on 25 February 2026 at the Gallery of the Faculty of Arts, University of Prishtina, contributing to the promotion of intercultural dialogue and cultural cooperation between the two cities. It opened in Thessaloniki on 19 May 2026 as part of IMMA’s programme celebrating International Museum Day, in the presence of representatives from the political, social, academic, and educational communities.

The material comes from the KEMIT–IMMA Archive, as well as from important private collections, including the Alexandros and Lena Haitoglou Collection, the Georgios Konstantinidis Collection, and the Vasilis Gounaris Collection. Together, they form a valuable mosaic of historical memory and documentation.

The exhibition also features a short video created using AI technology, which brings images from the period to life. The accompanying exhibition catalogue serves as a valuable resource for the documentation and study of Thessaloniki in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.