Kostas Arvanitis

Kostas Arvanitis is a Senior Lecturer in Museology at the University of Manchester, with a joint secondment at the Manchester Art Gallery (2022–2023). He holds a PhD in Museum Studies (University of Leicester) and a BA in History and Archaeology (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki). His research focuses on Trauma Museology, Digital Heritage, and the ethical management of spontaneous memorials post-traumatic events. Key projects include the Manchester Together Archive documenting memorials after the 2017 Arena attack, and the XR Museum feasibility study merging physical/virtual spaces.

He leads the AHRC-funded Museums and Spontaneous Memorials: A Museology of Trauma project (2024–25), and has secured grants totaling over £500k. Awards include the 2022 Making a Difference Commended Award and a 2019 Manchester City Council Excellence award for his work on the Manchester memorials. Teaching roles include convening the Managing Collections and Exhibitions course in the MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies program.

His work bridges academia and practice, with over 44 publications and 6 major projects. He advises on cultural heritage policy globally, including guidance for the National Archives and Red Cross. Key themes include urgent collecting ethics, digital museum innovation, and the role of museums in trauma recovery. He co-founded the International Network of Archives of Spontaneous Memorials and chairs the CHIMERA research group at Manchester.