Naxos Geological Museum

Location: Apiranthos

The Geological Museum of Apiranthos in Naxos, Cyclades: The Geological Museum was initially supposed to be in the local school when established in 1964, but the construction process was interrupted in 1967.
Construction was taken up again in 1987 under the initiative of Manolis Glezos.

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The museum exhibits a vibrant and vast collection of over 2000 stones, minerals, and fossils found on the island through various excavations.
An extensive part of the personal collection of Manolis Glezos is available, too.
The entire collection is called the Petros Protopapadakis Geological Collection.

The smirida (emery), a very hard rock with dark colors, considered the most precious mineral in Naxos, is found in large amounts at the museum. It was widely used during ancient times to construct tools that would process stone.

The collection of rocks and stones is not limited to those only found in Greece but extends to other parts of the world as well. One can see obsidian blades from Milos, pumice from Santorini, volcanic minerals from Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna, bauxite and cyanide from Brazil, and mineral rock from meteorites! In the last exhibition hall of the museum, you will come across a machine that sends out ultraviolet rays that allow you to see the various colorations of the rocks that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

Different fossils are also exhibited, the most notable being the bones of the dwarf elephant that roamed on the island of Naxos about 70,000 years ago. The museum may be small, yet extremely impressive and one of the most interesting in Naxos.

How to get there

The Geological Museum is located in Apiranthos village.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 22850 25835, 0030 22850 24829, or booking your taxi online.

Car rental: Τhere's the option of renting a car and picking it up directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Using a car rental allows visitors to discover the Geological Museum of Apiranthos and many other places of interest at their own pace.

Public transfers: The central bus station of the island is located at the port of Naxos. There are several buses from Chora to Apiranthos during the day. Lines 2 and 6 are those that reach Apiranthos. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here. 
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop at every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination in advance.