Join us for exhibitions, events, conversations, and experiences inspired by one of the world’s most enduring stories.
The National Hellenic Museum is celebrating The Odyssey, the story that has captivated generations for nearly 3,000 years. At a time when Homer’s epic is reaching new audiences through film, books, and artistic interpretations, the Museum is using The Odyssey as a lens to examine enduring questions about identity, leadership, resilience, belonging, and the meaning of home. We invite you to discover why this ancient story continues to matter today.
Attributed to the legendary poet Homer, The Odyssey is the oldest surviving poem in the Greek language and one of the foundational pieces of world literature. It follows the hero Odysseus, King of Ithaca, as he journeys home after the Trojan War. Over ten years, he faces shipwrecks, monsters, divine intervention, and temptation, from the Cyclops to the enchantress Circe. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus struggle to preserve his household against aggressive would-be usurpers. Blending adventure with reflection, the poem explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the meaning
of home.
March 12, 2026 | Harris Theater, Chicago
A Year with the Odyssey began with the National Hellenic Museum’s signature Trial, which transformed Homer’s epic into a live courtroom experience
at the Harris Theater. Leading attorneys argued whether Odysseus was justified in the actions he took to reclaim his home before distinguished judges,
a jury of community leaders, and an audience of more than 700. Actors portraying characters from The Odyssey took the witness stand, bringing the ancient story to life as participants examined enduring questions of justice, leadership, and responsibility. Following deliberations, Odysseus was acquitted by the judges, jury, and audience.
The Odyssey Film Screening & Post-Film Literary Discussion
August 1, 2026, 3PM | Music Box Theatre, Chicago
Join the National Hellenic Museum at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre for a special screening of acclaimed director Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated The Odyssey. Following the film, distinguished scholars will lead a discussion exploring the original epic, its enduring themes, and its adaptation for a new generation. Together, the screening and conversation demonstrate how the Museum shares Greek history and culture in ways that are relevant and meaningful today, using a 3,000-year-old story to spark contemporary conversation and reflection.
Panelists: Young Richard Kim, Professor of Classics and Mediterranean Studies (UIC); Krishni Burns, Senior Lecturer in Classics and Mediterranean Studies (UIC); and Germán Campos-Muñoz, Associate Professor of Instruction of Classics, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences (Northwestern University).
the Odyssey Reimagined: A Contemporary Art Exhibition
Late Summer 2026 | National Hellenic Museum, Chicago
In Odyssey Reimagined, the National Hellenic Museum brings together contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds to explore key moments and themes from Homer’s Odyssey. Through painting, sculpture, photography, and multimedia works, artists respond to ideas of journey, temptation, power, belonging, and homecoming, offering fresh perspectives on one of history’s most enduring stories. The exhibition invites audiences to discover how Greek stories and ideas continue to inspire creativity and artistic expression through fresh interpretations of Homer’s enduring epic.
NHM Staff Discuss The Song of Achilles
What happens when NHM staff read the same book?
This summer, the National Hellenic Museum selected Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel The Song of Achilles as a shared staff read. The novel sparked reflection on Homer and why ancient stories continue to resonate today. Rather than keep that conversation to ourselves, we recorded it and are sharing
it with you. Watch as NHM staff explore themes of friendship, love, heroism, and fate while considering how contemporary authors continue to reinterpret the ancient world for new generations.
NHM Online Discussions: Conversations Inspired by The Odyssey
Tuesday, August 4, 12 PM – 1 PM CDT | Online
Discover why Homer’s Odyssey still shapes modern conversations about migration, identity, war, and homecoming.
Nearly three thousand years after it was first composed, The Odyssey continues to shape literature, film, politics, and popular culture around the world. But why does this ancient epic still resonate so deeply today? This NHM Discussion explores the enduring power of Homer’s story of exile, longing, survival, and homecoming. Together, we will consider how The Odyssey speaks to modern experiences of migration, war, identity, and personal transformation, while also examining its influence on contemporary writers, filmmakers, and artists. Join us for a conversation about one of the foundational works of world literature and its remarkable afterlife.
NHM Online Discussions is presented by Dr. Katherine Kelaidis, Director of Research and Content at the National Hellenic Museum and a Research Associate at the Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge. She holds a BA in Classical Languages from the University of California, Berkeley,
and a PhD in Classics from the University of London.
Homerathon: A Community Reading of The Odyssey
October 2026 | National Hellenic Museum, Chicago
Now in its fifth year, Homerathon invites audiences to experience Homer’s Odyssey the way it was meant to be heard—read aloud and in community. Presented in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago Department of Classics and Mediterranean Studies, the program brings together readers
of all ages and backgrounds for a public reading of the epic in multiple languages. As voices from across the community take turns telling Odysseus’ story, Homerathon highlights the enduring power of a story that continues to connect people across generations, cultures, and traditions.
