The Thessaloniki Museum of Photography is the only photography museum in Greece. Its goals include organising exhibitions and publications, supporting historical research and criticism on the subject of Greek photography, creating an updated library with titles and documents of Greek and international photographic literature, as well as enriching its collection with donations and purchases of historical and contemporary photographic works by Greek and foreign photographers. Also included in its goals is the presentation of lectures and the creation of educational programmes aimed at endowing the Greek audience with photographic learning. Particular emphasis is laid on the curation of original exhibitions and publications that study and promote aspects of contemporary Greek photographic artwork.

Background: In 1987, Aris Georgiou, Apostolos Maroulis and Yiannis Vanidis founded the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, setting out to create a first collection of photographs and laying the foundations for the creation of a photography museum. The following year, in 1988, Aris Georgiou launched the first Photosynkyria, the city's annual international photography festival. In 1995, the Organisation for the Cultural Capital of Europe, Thessaloniki 1997, proceeded to found the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, setting up an administrative committee under the chairmanship of Giorgos Katsangelos. In 1997, under the ministry of Evangelos Venizelos, the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography was established by law and finally came into existence during the following year, with Giorgos Makris as its president and Aris Georgiou as its first director. In December 2001, it was housed in its current premises, in Warehouse A at the Port of Thessaloniki.