Tinos Marble Crafts Museum

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

Located just outside the picturesque village of Pyrgos, the Museum of Marble Crafts —the first of its kind in the country— gives a detailed presentation of the marble-crafting process, from the extraction of the raw material to the positioning of the finished work of art. The fact that such a unique museum can be found near a small village in Tinos is no coincidence; indeed, marble carving is an inherent part of the island’s cultural identity. With its rich marble quarries, Tinos has been one of the most prominent marble-carving centers since antiquity, and the secrets of the craft are passed on from generation to generation. This is why it has been the birthplace of so many remarkable sculptors, like the renowned Yannoulis Chalepas and others.

Established by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation, the museum is housed in modern, state-of-the-art installations and showcases the tools and techniques involved in the process of marble carving, especially in the pre- and proto-industrial era, while highlighting the socioeconomic context in which the local workshops evolved. The permanent exhibition is divided into various sections, comprising secular, religious and even everyday marble items, clay or plaster models and copies, extraction, cutting and carving tools, mechanical equipment, as well as archival material and a rich collection of sketches of old marble carvings from the entire country.

Among the highlights is the outdoor area, where besides completed or unfinished sculptures, it is possible to see an assortment of historical apparatuses. Among the most notable displays are a hoisting machine and a trolley for the transportation of marble blocks, as well as a scoop used for removing rubble and chippings.

At the same time, the exhibits are complemented by engaging audiovisual material that brings traditional techniques to life before the very eyes of the visitors. Thus, it is possible to see interconnected representations of a quarry, a marble craft workshop, and even the positioning of a bishop’s throne. The museum’s interactive approach makes it possible to see sizeable blocks of marble in their original state, feel their texture, or observe their crystals with a magnifying glass, guaranteeing a highly enjoyable experience for children and adults alike.

The photographs are from the official website of the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (www.piop.gr).