Laiki Bank Cultural Centre – Byron Avenue Museum

The Marfin Laiki Bank Cultural Centre was established in 1983 based on the principle of corporate social responsibility and the concept that a financial institution should also aspire to enhance the community that supports it.

For the past 28 years the Centre has been proactive in preserving, promoting and enhancing Cyprus' cultural scene. Its primary focus is in the fields of Art, History, Education and Publications, while its annual framework of activities include exhibitions, educational programmes and the preservation of Cyprus' historical heritage through the Bank's collections of Contemporary Cypriot Art, Rare Books, Documents and Photographs related to Cyprus and the Middle East region. Large-scale projects and programmes whose purpose is to research and document Cypriot culture have been systematically promoted over the years. The publication programme of the Centre, which focuses on books that present important aspects of the history and life of Cyprus, is considered to be the most comprehensive on the Island.

The Marfin Laiki Bank Cultural Centre has also gradually expanded in infrastructure to include two function Centres in Nicosia and Paphos that organise and host a variety of events and presentations, as well as the acquisition of the Pierides Museum in Larnaca, in 2000, with its exceptional collection of Ancient Cypriot Art. In 2003 the Byron Avenue Museum in Nicosia was opened to the public. In this renovated colonial mansion, the Marfin Laiki Bank Cultural Centre organises bi-annual museum standard exhibitions that trace and present unexplored aspects of Cypriot society and history. The Cultural Centre's sphere of activities also includes an annual programme of interactive educational programmes for children across Cyprus.

“THE CENTRE'S ANNUAL ACTIVITIES ARE DEDICATED TO CYPRUS' CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ARE FOCUSED ON ART, HISTORY AND EDUCATION THROUGH COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITIONS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND PUBLICATIONS”