Museums in Heraklion

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion boasts one of the richest collections not only in Greece but also on an international level. It houses findings exclusively from the most important Minoan centers, such as Knossos and Phaistos, as well as from other ancient sites, like Gortyn and Arhanes.

Founded in 2005, this is the largest aquarium in the Mediterranean. It presents marine life in impressive reproductions of the Mediterranean natural landscapes, offering visitors a chance to see over 2,000 creatures that belong to 200 different species.

Housed inside the Basilica di San Marco, in the heart of Heraklion Town, the Municipal Art Gallery boasts an extensive collection of over 900 works tracing the evolution of Cretan artistic creation from its beginnings to its more recent expressions. Visitors can see paintings, sculptures, engravings, icons and mosaics.

Housed in the Venetian mansion Palazzo d' Ittar, in the heart of Heraklion Town, the Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology offers visitors a unique opportunity to discover the secrets of ancient Greek technology, through a collection of highly advanced devices, such as an automatic servant, an automatic theater, a hydraulic clock and the Antikythera mechanism.

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.

This museum offers an original and creative approach to the culture and nature of Crete. It organizes many cultural events, such as educational seminars for kids, audiovisual performances, or traditional dancing events.

The Messara Archaeological Museum encapsulates the centuries-old history of the Messara Plain, with a collection of items dating back 4500 years, from the Minoan Palace of Phaistos to the Hellenistic and Roman capital city of Gortyn.

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 the modern era.

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

The Heraklion Museum of Visual Arts, situated in a backstreet near the port, is a modern institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the works of Cretan painters, sculptors, and visual artists of all sorts.

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 where visitors can see old wine-making machinery and buy local products.

In the village of Fodele, you will find a small museum dedicated to the famous Cretan painter 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 a recreation of the artist's studio.

The Museum of Cretan Ethnology is small in size yet is a massive-in-content display of what the Cretan day-to-day was in past centuries, which led to the unique character the people of this island have to this day.

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.