The State Museum of Contemporary Art (S.M.C.A) was founded in 1997 and is housed at the Moni Lazariston, a long-standing catholic convent of the 19 th century in the Stavroupoli area in Thessaloniki. The Moni Lazariston was restored in 1997 under the framework of the Thessaloniki Cultural Capital of Europe and was turned into a contemporary multi-function building, which houses several cultural institutions.

Since 2000 the museum has been occupying the eastern wing of the building complex after all the necessary alterations which took place in order to fulfill the requirements of a contemporary museum. In 2002 the S.M.C.A acquired Warehouse B1 at the Port of Thessaloniki, which after the required interventions, was altered into a modern exhibition space which houses the museum's periodic exhibitions as well as the exhibitions of the Thessaloniki Center of Contemporary Art, which is S.M.C.A's independent branch.

The renowned Costakis Collection which forms the foundation of the museum's collections and exhibitions is comprised of 1,275 works of art (paintings, drawings, constructions, porcelains etc) by the most significant artists of the Russian Avant-Garde. The Collection was bought by the Greek government in 2000 after a series of negotiations with the collector's family.

Throughout the S.M.C.A's operation, the museum has developed extensive activities in organizing distinguished exhibitions, collaborations with other Greek museums and museums abroad, publications of exclusive catalogues and coordination of international multi-disciplinary conferences.

Moreover, since its opening, the S.M.C.A. has particularly focused on its educational role. Well organized educational programs, designed by the museum's disciplinary staff follow the current museum educational practices and aim to bring the students in touch with modern and contemporary art.

Moving towards a new era, the S.M.C.A. redefines its role as it establishes new goals, like every active museum should, in a network of cultural communication where art, dialogue and speculation bring multiple users in touch with one another. The primary goal is to accentuate the State Museum of Contemporary Art into a pluralistic, radical and innovative cultural institution, which besides managing and presenting its permanent Costakis collection, will also include the exhibition of Greek contemporary production in its program for the broader public without setting any geographical or social limitations.