Museums in Rethymno
Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Rethymno is temporarily housed in the Venetian church of Saint Francis, in the heart of the Old Town. It displays exhibits from excavation sites in the prefecture of Rethymno, presenting the history of the area from the paleolithic till the Roman times.
Museum of Cretan Lyra
The Museum of Cretan Lyra is strongly connected with the tradition and music of Crete. This is a workshop of Cretan lyras and one of its rooms hosts a large collection of lyras and other traditional musical instruments.
Wax Museum
In the remote village of Zoniana, 45 km from Rethymno, there is an interesting wax museum with figures from all over the Cretan history. Established in 1998, this Wax Museum is housed in a space of 1,000 sq.m.
Eleftherna Archaeological Museum
Situated near the archaeological site of ancient Eleutherna, this museum unveils the history of Archaic Crete. Indeed, it is the only museum that boasts funerary findings illustrating a series of customs described in Homer's Iliad, confirming their veracity.
Historical and Folklore Museum
The Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno was established in 1973 and it is housed in an elegant Venetian building. The exhibits of the museum come from private collections and donations and include traditional clothing, tools, ceramics, jewelry, coins, and other items.
Military Museum of Chromonastiri
A lovely mansion of Venetian architecture has been restored to house the Military Museum of Rethymno. The museum was inaugurated in 2010 and hosts military uniforms, weapons of various ages, and army vehicles.
Paleontological Museum
The Paleontological Museum of Rethymno, a branch of the Goulandris Natural History Museum, is housed in a beautiful 17th-century mosque that has been fully restored. Visitors can discover a wealth of information about the evolutionary process in Crete over a time span of 300 million years and learn about such endemic mammals as dwarf elephants and dwarf deer.
Wooden Sculptures Museum
Τhe Wooden Sculptures Museum houses a permanent collection of over 100 sculptures inspired by such themes as Cretan folklore, mythology nature and religion. Most of them are in natural size, while some reach a length of up to 6 meters.
Ecclesiastical Museum
Established in 1994, the Ecclesiastical Museum of Rethymnon is housed in the Parish Office opposite the Town Cathedral. It exhibits rare items from various churches of the region.
Marine Museum
This lovely museum displays numerous shells, sponges, fish, and other marine items. It is a great option for families with children.
Georgoulakis Museum
The Museum of Priest Michalis Georgoulakis is located in the village of Asomatos. This museum, which stretches for eight rooms, gives visitors a deep insight into traditional life in Crete.
Contemporary Art Gallery
In this gallery, visitors will be able to admire a rich collection of works from local artist Lefteris Kanakakis, and a collection of representative pieces of modern Greek art. Various exhibitions of modern art are regularly organized in the gallery.
