Museums in Heraklion

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion Crete is one of the richest in collections. It houses findings exclusively from Crete and the most important collections come from Knossos, Phaestos, Gortyn, Aharnes and other ancient sites.

Founded in 2005, this is the largest aquarium in the Mediterranean. It depicts marine life with upgraded and impressive presentations of natural landscapes, offering visitors a chance to see rare sea-living creatures.

Housed in the Venetian building “Palazzo d’ Ittar” at 18 Epimenidou Street, in the heart of Heraklion city, Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology offers a unique opportunity to discover the secrets of Ancient Greek Technology, by promoting interactive learning and analytical thinking for both greek and english speaking visitors of all ages.

This museum is housed in a modern building in Myrtia. Nikos Kazantzakis was born in Heraklion and is considered to be one of the most important Greek writers of the 20th century.

Located in the village of Hersonissos, east of Heraklion, this museum offers an original and creative approach to the culture and nature of Crete. Frequently it organizes many cultural events, such as educational seminars for kids, audiovisual performances or traditional dancing events.

The Natural History Museum of Crete allows visitors to see and experience the biodiversity of Crete. It is housed in a modern building at the port of Heraklion Town.

The Historical Museum of Heraklion was established in 1953 by the Society of Cretan Historical Studies. The museum presents the history and culture of Crete from the early Christian times till modern era.

This collection is housed in the beautiful 15th-century basilica of Saint Ekaterini, Heraklion Town. It houses valuable ecclesiastical items and rare Byzantine icons.

Minos Winery was the first to bottle the delicious wine of Crete. Its premises in Peza, about 18 km southeast of Heraklion Town, also work as a museum and visitors can see the wine production process and buy local products.

Close to the Gate of Bethlehem, in the Venetian Walls of Heraklion, a new museum recently opened dedicated to the famous Cretan painter Domenicos Theotokopoulos, also known as "El Greco". He was born in Heraklion in 1542 but worked and died in Spain in 1614. The museum includes copies of his paintings and costumes of the awarded movie "El Greco" (2007), directed by the Greek director Iannis Smaragdis.

The Thirathen Museum of Traditional Instruments is a house of traditional instruments, providing a large exhibition of instruments, music lessons, vocal groups, and instructions on how to make an instrument from scratch.