The most interesting museums of Crete that you must visit
In this article, we are presenting the most interesting museums in Crete, suitable for all ages and interests.
Crete is not only about its endlessly beautiful beaches, its magnificent local delicacies, and its inexhaustible landscapes of natural beauty that can entice you to visit Crete.
The island of history and culture has to offer you plenty of interesting museums. So, now it’s your chance to see them in person and why not book a private tour with us as well to maximize your experience? Click here to customize a museum tour!
Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
It is located in the city center and is one of the largest and most interesting museums in Greece. It was founded in 1908 to house the first collections of Cretan antiquities and today houses 7,500 exhibits, representative specimens from the Neolithic era to Roman times. Its collection of Minoan antiquities is the most remarkable in the world and is one of the most important museums of Minoan civilization. Moreover, among the masterpieces of Minoan art that are presented, you will see the goddesses of benefits, the Linear B signs from Knossos, the Disk of Phaistos, etc.
The current building museum was built between 1935 and 1958 to the designs of the architect Patroclus Karantinos. It is important to note that his designs are a pioneering example of the modern architectural movement.
WomanNude_Kanakakis Collection Photo Credit: Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete
Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete — Rethymno
With the merger of the old Municipal Gallery «L. Kanakakis” and the Center for Contemporary Art Creation, the Museum of Contemporary Art is now a must-see. Its permanent collection numbers about 680 works by contemporary Greek artists, representative samples of the Greek visual reality from 1950 until today. A Venetian building in the center of the Old Town of Rethymnon houses The Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete. Fun fact, it was a former soap factory and one of the first industrial sites that operated on the island.
Ancient Naval Architecture Photo Credit: Maritime Museum of Crete
Maritime Museum of Crete — Chania
The main building of the fortress Revelino del Porto, which was built by the Venetians for the fortification of the port of Chania, was founded in 1973 to promote the naval tradition and history of the island. They organized its collections in three exhibitions. Firstly, the permanent collection includes 2,500 pieces. For example, heirlooms, paintings, maps, photographs, ship models, naval equipment, etc. You can see the presentations in sections and chronological order from the Bronze Age to the present day. The second exhibition presents a large collection of shells from different parts of the world. Finally, the third is dedicated to ancient and traditional shipbuilding, with the main exhibit being the reconstructed ship of the Minoan era «Minoa», an exact copy of an ancient merchant.
Building of Natural History Museum of Crete — Heraklion Photo Credit: Natural History Museum of Crete
Natural History Museum of Crete — Heraklion
The Natural History Museum of Crete along with the University of Crete researches the natural peculiarities of the Mediterranean countries. The goal of its programs and actions is the preservation, management, and promotion of the natural heritage of the Mediterranean environment. Furthermore, the collections are in thematic sections that include samples and exhibits from the central and eastern Mediterranean. This alone describes 8,000 years of civilization. Finally, it is worth stopping in the sections «Megadioramata» and «Living Museum», to observe life in the ecosystems of the Mediterranean. Get to know the areas of the NATURA 2000 Network of Crete and enter «Egelados», the seismic bank of the museum, where they can stimulate conditions of real seismic activity.
Exhibit at Eleftherna Archaeological Museum Photo Credit: Eleftherna Archaeological Museum
Eleftherna Archaeological Museum
The archeological site of Ancient Eleftherna is 30 km away from the city of Rethymnon. On the hills of Pyrgi and Nissi is where one can find the main excavation area of Eleftherna. They inaugurated the museum in 2016 and it is a true model museum. Why? As it is located next to the ancient city and is the first museum within an archaeological site in Crete. Its three rooms houses objects of daily life and works of art from 3000 BC. to 1300 AD, and the present. Get to know what the public, political, religious, social, and private life was like in Eleftherna.
Folk Art at the Lychnostatis Open-Air Museum Photo Credit: Lychnostatis Open-Air Museum
Lychnostatis Open Air Museum — Chersonissos
On the coast of the Municipality of Hersonissos Heraklion, in an area of 7,000 sq.m. visit a natural-folk museum. We promise it is very different from the others. The full name of the museum is «Lychnostatis, Museum of Petra and Mantinada» and belongs to the category «open-air museums». Its goal is to preserve and promote the traditional life and popular culture of Crete. This museum «carries» life in the countryside from the late 19th century to the 20th. The assistant professor of Ophthalmology and collector-folklorist George Markakis during the period 1986 to 1992 created the museum. For its construction, they only used stone, wood, and clay.
On its premises, you will find four thematic collections. Firstly, the Folklore (folklore-ethnographic elements). Secondly, the Physiognostiki (Cretan flora and mineral wealth). Thirdly, the Artistic (folk art and cultural tradition). Fourthly, the Pre-Industrial Technology (tools that show the know-how of past eras). This is an experiential museum. Therefore, you will see a carob mill, threshing floor, cauldron, olive mill, Cretan mitato (the hut of shepherds in the mountains), orchard, shoemaker’s shop, aromatic plants workshop, cafe, and much more.
The School_Folklore Museum of Chania Photo Credit: Folklore Museum of Chania
Folklore Museum of Chania
The Folklore Museum «Cretan House» is a creation of Aspasia Bikaki and Irini Koumandraki. It is located in the center of the city of Chania. Get to know the life of the inhabitants of the countryside until the first half of the 20th century. They will get to do that through everyday objects. Of particular interest are the textiles and embroidery. Such as the paintings with scenes from the customs and traditions of the place. Finally, the founders of the museum and their students make the creations in the textile workshops. They faithfully copy designs that they have collected from all over Crete.
Moreover, if you are more interested in history and archaeological museums, then our blog article «Crete through its Museums» is a must-read for you. The article intends to introduce the 4 Archaeological Museums in Crete. Crete is heaven for history buffs and for all those who are intrigued about ancient civilizations. Aside from the various archaeological sites and spread out landmarks, this island’s extraordinary museums, capture the entire scope of its long history and unique finds from the ancient Minoan civilization until the present day. Therefore, it is extremely worth committing a few hours to be guided in the most fascinating archaeological museums on the island.