Milos War Museum

Location: Plaka
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

Located between the villages of Plaka and Plakes, the War Museum of Milos went through improvements during 2021 and 2022, funded by the German Embassy in Greece, in order to be friendlier to the visitor, and is now open again. It is housed in a bunker built during World War II by locals that were forced into doing compulsory labor when the island was occupied. The bunker was used by the German soldiers deployed there, mainly as a secondary hospital, better protected from the bombings. The high quality of the construction materials can be observed today, as the building is still well preserved.

Milos was occupied by Nazi Germany for four years, from 1941 to 1945, as it provided a highly strategic spot in the Aegean, between Attica and Crete, necessary for moving through the Mediterranean. More than 4000 German soldiers were stationed on the island during that time, influencing the life of locals on a great level. The bunker was abandoned for decades when writer and journalist Grigorios Belivanakis founded the War Museum in 2014 to commemorate the years the island was at war.

A large part of the museum consists of a photo exhibition with pictures acquired from the founder’s personal archive. Furthermore, other artifacts were donated by individuals, including weapons, medical equipment, maps and documents, among other items. A tribute to the German doctor Hans Loeber is also set up, as he showcased philanthropic work and treated Greeks equally to Germans, being respected by the locals up to this day.

The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00. Admission is 3€ for adults.

Official website: www.miloswarmuseum.gr