Guide to Museums in:


Athens

Heraklion

Ioannina

Magnesia

Thessaloniki

GREECE

HERAKLION MUSEUMS

The Historical Museum of Crete is a museum in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The Museum presents a comprehensive view of Cretan history from early Christian times to the present day. It was founded in 1953 by the Society of Cretan Historical Studies, which had been established two years earlier. The founders' goal was to collect and preserve valuable archaeological, ethnographic and historical material deriving from the medieval and modern periods in Cretan history. The museum is housed in a two-storey neoclassical building, which was constructed in 1903 on the site of an earlier mansion. The Museum exhibits a number of notable works of art, such as the Modena Triptych, a 1568 painting by the artist El Greco, who was also known as Doménikos Theotokópoulos.

For more information and enquiries please contact Historical Museum of Crete, A. & M. Kalokerinos House 27, Sofokli Venizelou Ave. / 7, Lysimachou Kalokerinou St. 71202 Heraklion, Crete, Greece, Tel: 2810 283219, E-mail: info@historical-museum.gr

The Modena Triptych by El Greco seen in The Historical Museum of Crete

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is one the great museums of Greece and the best in the world regarding the Minoan art as it contains the most notable and complete collection of artifacts of the Minoan civilization of Crete. Besides the Minoan collection, other periods of Cretan history are covered, from the Neolithic to the Greco-Roman period. There is a smaller section for post-Minoan art and artefacts.

For more information and enquiries please contact Heraklion Archaeological Museum Xanthoudidou Street 1, Ηράκλειο 71202, Greece, Tel: +30 281 022 6092, E-mail: amh@culture.gr

Lychnostatis Open Air Museum is a museum in Hersonissos, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The museum contains a variety of artifacts and structures related to Cretan folk tradition and ethnology, economic activity and culture, nature and the environment. Notable assets include traditional Cretan farmer and merchant houses, wine and olive presses, a distillery, weaving and ceramic workshops, a herbarium and fruit and cactus gardens, a folk art gallery, library, a mineral and stone exhibition, a 150 seat auditorium and a 250 seats theatre as well as a cafe and shop. A number of performances are put on in the auditoriums includuing the "Traditional September" annual event as well as Greek dancing performances, and grape and wine-tasting events.

For more information and enquiries please contact Lychnostatis Open Air Museum, Hersonissos, Crete Greece, Tel: +3028970-23660, E-mail: info@lychnostatis.gr

The Museum of Cretan Ethnology is a museum in Vori, in the municipality of Tympaki, Heraklion Prefecture, southern Crete, Greece. The museum contains artifacts found all over Crete from the Minoan period (2000-1000 BC), the Archaic (1000-500 BC) and Byzantine, although a significant part of the collection is from the period of Turkish occupation. The museum is particularly rich in items related to agriculture, stock breeding, pottery, basketry, wood caving, architecture and music and dancing. The museum displays are divided into seven different ethnological sections related to human beings’ biological need to survive and adapt.

For more information and enquiries please contact Voroi Pirgiotissis, 70200, Heraklion, Crete, Tel: +30 28920 91110, E-mail: info@cretanethnologymuseum.gr

Aquaworld Aquarium is a natural history museum in Hersonissos, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The majority of the animals on display are either rescued or were unwanted pets which now have a home in this caring environment. Aquaworld is open daily from 1 April until 31 October each year.

For more information and enquiries please contact Aquaworld Aquarium, Filikis Etirias 7, Limani Hersonissou, Crete 70014, Greece, Tel: +30 28970 29125, E-mail: jbmclaren@hotmail.com