Corfu Banknote Museum

Alpha Bank's Banknote Museum is located in the square next to St. Spiridon church. It showcases an almost complete collection of the Greek currency (about 2,000 items) - from the first treasury bonds issued by the newly liberated Greek State in 1822 until the replacement of the drachma by the euro in 2002. It also includes sketches, essays and printing plates of Greek banknotes. The museum was established in 1981 by the Ionian Bank and it is housed at the former Ionian Bank building designed by Corfiot architect Ioannis Chronis in about 1840. In 2000, Ionian Bank merged with Alpha Bank and the Banknote Museum was subsequently renovated and reopened in 2005. An additional exhibit hall was added showcasing "Ionian Bank Limited" which was a British venture and the first bank to operate in Greek territory. The museum's collection is considered one of the most complete of its kind in the world.