One of the best archaeological museums in the world, homages to a rebel leader, El Greco and the Greek national football team – here are some of the best museums in Crete to visit.
The definitive museum of the Minoan civilisation, the presumed birthplace of artist El Greco, and a wonderful World War Two Museum in the mountains. These are a few of the best museums in Crete to visit while you explore this extraordinary island.
I’ve chosen ten of the best museums on Crete for this article, and they range from one of the bet archaeological museums in the world to small one-person operations, labours of love that are a joy to discover.
In this article I describe each museum, what to see, opening hours, ticket prices and how to get there. As you travel around the island, they’re well worth visiting, and add to your appreciation of this amazing part of the world. Enjoy!
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
One of the great Museums documenting the ancient world
If you love ancient history, I’d say that visiting Heraklion Archaeological Museum is as essential as the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Capitoline Museum in Rome, the Acropolis Museum in Athens or the British Museum in London. This is home to the biggest collection of artefacts relating to Crete’s Minoan civilisation, as well as some amazing exhibits from the Roman period.
But it’s the Minoan world that draws most visitors to Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Many of the artworks and treasures unearthed at Knossos, the nearby palatial site, are held there, along with others from around the island. These include the exquisite bee pendant found at the Malia Palace site, the magnificent Agia Triada sarcophagus and the mysterious Phaestos Disc, which contains writing in the Minoans’ undeciphered script.
I spent four hours visiting this Museum, and could easily have been there another hour or so. An incredible collection.
Opening times: It’s open daily year-round, with reduced hours on Wednesdays. Summer (late April to 31st October) times are 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, with 1.00 pm to 8.00 pm on Wednesdays.
Tickets: You can book your Heraklion Archaeological Museum tickets here – they include an audioguide in the language of your choice.
Lychnostatis Open Air Museum
Rural life museum devoted to the 19th and 20th centuries
This open-air museum is one of the best small museums in Europe, and one of the best open-air museums of its kind in the continent, even giving the outstanding St Fagans Museum near Cardiff, Wales a close run.
Remarkably, there are around 40 separate exhibits in a small area, beginning with plants and trees commonly found in Crete. This leads to rural life in Crete in the mid-to- late 19th century, with a recreated farmer’s cottage, a beautiful whitewashed chapel, and fascinating exhibits on everyday life, including the arduous 13-step process of washing clothes (remember how hot it is in Crete for much of the year) using ashes and indigo.
There are also nods to urban middle-class life, with a recreated professional’s Heraklion home. One of the more recent exhibits is a restored rural schoolroom from the early 1950s, a hot, almost light-less low-roofed cavern of a building where conditions must have been close to intolerable without fans – let alone the distant invention of air conditioning!
For me, the most impressive part of this superb Museum is the design of many of the exhibits, especially the simple layout of the exhibits of plants, herbs and ceramics in some of the outhouses. There is genius at work here, and those involved deserve great recognition for it.
Opening times: The Museum is open from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm every day except Saturday.
Getting there: It’s close to stop 25 on the Heraklion-Malia-Agios Nikolaos bus route, near the Mediterraneo Hotel.
Tickets: You can pre-book your Lychnostatis Museum tickets by following this link.
See Also: Visiting Lychnostatis Open Air Museum – The Complete Guide
Chania Archaeological Museum
After Heraklion, Chania has the best Archaeological Museum in Crete, housed in a brand-new building a mile east of the city centre.
I visited when it was still in its old home in the Monastery of St Francis, and the sleek modern building makes a great setting for a superb collection of around 4,000 ancient treasures. Each province in Crete has its own Archaeological Museum, as well as some smallcities and towns such as Sitia and Kissamos. And Chania’s collection is drawn from across the province of the same name, which extends across the westernmost part of Crete, and the island of Gavdos, off the southern coast.
Many of the exhibits, including clay tablets, seals, and funerary items from the Minoan cities of Kydonia (the precursor of Chania) and Aptera. There are also some astonishing sculptures, including some from the ancient, abandoned city of Lissos, again on the south coast of Crete. There is also some amazing jewelleryi ncluding what may have been a royal crown with a Medusa head.
Opening times: Wednesday to Mondays 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, closed on Tuesdays.
Tickets: You can book your Chania Archaeological Museum tickets here – an optional audioguide is included.
Greek National Football Team Museum, Chania
A one-man labour of love, and one of the greatest football romantic stories of them all
Like Leicester City winning the Premier League in 2016, I can’t imagine more neutrals being delighted with a tournament result than Greece’s utterly unexpected victory in Euro 2004. As a lifelong football fan, and friend of numerous others, I can tell you that absolutely no one, and that includes the most ardent Greek fans, had the faintest idea that Greece were going to win the whole shebang.
And even with Portuguese ancestry, I must admit I was rooting for Greece to beat them in the final, which they somehow did. And nothing could have delighted me more.
This small museum is a collection of football shirts from the Greek national team down the years, including the 2004 winners. They include some of the heroes of that time including Angelos Charisteas, Traianos Dellas and Andreas Nikopolidis.
There is also lots of fan memorabilia, including souvenir scarves, match programmes, tickets and even a replica of the European Championship trophy.
The Museum is on Tsouderon, at the southern edge of Chania Old Town, a two-minute walk from the Covered Market. It’s open daily from 10.00 am and admission is free. Here is the link to the Museum website.
See Also: 22 Best Things To do In Chania
War Museum, Askyfou
Fascinating father and son collection of World War 2 weapons and memorabilia
It’s not as well documented as other aspects of the conflict, but Crete was heavily involved in World War Two and the fight against Nazi Germany. As under the Ottoman Turkish occupation, Cretan resistance was fierce and heroic, with attacks on the Nazis leading to appalling reprisals and massacres, including one in the remote mountain village of Kandanos (see my article on Off The Beaten Path World War 2 Sites In Europe for more information on this).
The founder of the Askyfou War Museum, Giorgios Hatzidakis, went through the traumas of war himself. His family home was destroyed, his younger sister was killed and he was severely injured. After the end of the War in 1945, he set about collecting items from the 4-year Battle and occupation of Crete, to commemorate the suffering and sacrifice of his fellow Cretans.
Giorgios passed away in 2007, and the Museum is now run by his son, Andreas. Together they have amassed over 2,000 items, including many weapons and other memorabilia. It’s a fascinating collection, and a must for anyone with an interest in the Second World War.
It’s open daily from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm during the May to October season.
Getting there: You’ll need your own set of wheels or a driver to get to Askifou. It’s on the mountain road between Vryses (near Georgioupolis) and Chora Sfakion, which is reachable via the E90 road across northern Crete. Hourly buses between Chania and Rethymno run to Georgioupolis and Espero, but after that, you’ll need your own means of getting there.
Museum website link here.
Kritsotopoula Museum, Kritsa
Commemoration of heroine who fought the Ottoman Turkish occupation of Crete and died aged just 19
This small, fascinating museum in Kritsa – one of the most beautiful villages in Crete – is dedicated to Rhodanthe, a resistance heroine who died aged just 19 fighting for independence from Ottoman rule.
She was born – it’s believed in the house that houses the Museum – to the head priest of the village and his wife, and at a young age she witnessed the brutal murder of her mother. She was then forced into marriage to the local ruler (Aga) who had ordered her mother’s murder.
Rhodanthe (the name Kritsotopoula is a nickname, meaning ‘girl from Kritsa’) fought back, killing her ‘husband’ on the night of their wedding and escaping to join local resistance fighters. She cut off her hair and disguised herself as a man. Her true gender and identity were only discovered as she was dying, having bravely fought against Turkish and Egyptian troops who attacked the village in 1823.
The small house is set out and furnished much as it would have looked during Rhodanthe’s lifetime in the early 19thcentury, and the exhibition tells her tragic but heroic story.
The Kritsotopoula Museum is currently open by appointment only – contact them via their website. Bear in mind that you can’t reach it by car – you’ll need to walk around five minutes from the centre of the village and down a narrow street to get there. You can also get to Kritsa by regular bus from nearby Agios Nikolaos.
Tours: This Kritsa tour from Heraklion and resorts in between includes two hours in the village and a visit to Myrtos Beach on the south coast of Crete.
El Greco Museum, Fodele
Homage to the great Greek artist in what was probably his childhood home
Cretan artist Domenikos Theotokopoulos is believed to have been born in the house occupied by this small Museum. It’s near the old village of Fodele, a 20-mile drive up the coast highway northwest of Heraklion.
Some historians have queried whether he was born there or Heraklion, but at the very least the museum building was his childhood home. He recalls an isolated house away from Fodele village (✓), and being across the street from an ancient Byzantine church (✓). It fits.
The young Domenikos learned much of his early art from Byzantine iconography, and moved to Venice (which governed Crete at the time) at the age of 26, where he was greatly influenced by Tintoretto and Titian. After a seven-year spell in Rome, he moved to Toledo in Spain, where he spent the rest of his life. He is often described as a Mannerist painter – a vague term suggesting some exaggerated aspects in his depictions, and one of the best examples of this is his View of Toledo, which in some ways is a precursor of art from centuries later.
The building was restored in the 1980s and 1990s, the Museum finally opening in 1998. It contains replicas of many of El Greco’s best-known works, including one of the outstanding Burial of the Count of Orgaz. One of the rooms is also a recreation of his early painting studio.
The cafe in the shade of the trees is a lovely place to stop for half an hour, and the church of Panagia across the road is at least 900 years old, and one of the most beautiful churches in Crete.
Getting there: Regular buses to Fodele beach – two miles from the Museum and church – run between Heraklion and Rethymno, but there’s no connection, which makes things awkward. A taxi from the beach is your best bet. Otherwise, a road runs from the main road via the village of Fodele to the Museum, but it’s not in good condition.
Tours: This El Greco Crete tour takes you to Fodele, including the Museum and Church, and explores the countryside that also inspired him. Pick-up locations are flexible.
Museum of St Catherine, Heraklion
Icons and other religious art in a beautiful 16th-century church
The 16th-century Church of Agia Ekaterini – St Catherine of Sinai – is on the same square as Agios Minas Cathedral, the largest church in Crete. The smaller, older church was home to a school of painters in its early years, before being converted into a mosque for 250 years. Since being reconsecrated as a church, it has also been home to a wonderful collection of Byzantine and later Christian art for over a century.
It has some particularly outstanding icons, especially by Angelos Akotantos 15th century) and Michail Damaskinos (16thcentury) – it’s highly likely that the young El Greco would have known both artists’ work very well,and been influenced by them.
As well as the icons, there are also carvings, sculptures, manuscripts and books. The setting for the exhibition is outstanding (like a few other church museums, including the Nikolaikirche in Berlin) and visiting this Museum is one of the best things to do in Heraklion.
Maritime Museum of Crete, Chania
Excellent museum mainly focused on the naval history of Crete
We spent a wonderful autumn afternoon exploring Chania’s Maritime Museum, with just two other visitors for company. It covers the maritime history of Crete, from ancient times to the shipbuilding prowess of the Byzantines and, later, the Venetians who ruled the island for around 300 years. Most of the Museum is housed in the Firkas fortress on the west side of the Old Harbour, one of the most impressive castles in Crete.
It’s also fascinating to learn more about the Greek Navy in modern times. After mainland Greece, Crete and the islands were occupied by Axis forces in 1941, the fight was carried to them by the exiled Navy (based in Alexandria, Egypt) as well as Cretan and Greek civilians. There is a special exhibition devoted to the Battle of Crete, with an intriguing section on the Maori Battalion from New Zealand.
There’s also a great section on the marine life of Crete, with many specimens of creatures from starfish to sponges on display – this was my son’s favourite part of the exhibition!
It was closed when we visited, but there is an excellent exhibition on ancient and traditional shipbuilding in Greece, worth visiting by itself. Together with the Museum, it’s a fantastic afternoon out, and one of the best naval museums in Europe along with the Museo Storico Navale in Venice.
Getting there: It’s on the northwest corner of Chania’s historic Venetian Harbour, and is well signposted as you reach the waterfront area.
Best Museums In Crete – Final Thoughts
I hope that you have enjoyed this article and that you’ve found some more places to explore when you next visit Crete. They’re a great way to learn more about the island and its history and culture, and have certainly given me a greater appreciation of Crete. I hope the same goes for you too.
We have spent over eight months exploring Crete over two extended trips, and I’ve written many other articles about the island. Here’s a selection of them for you to browse:
Overall Crete Articles
Pink Beaches In Crete – the 3 stunning pink sand beaches to visit on Crete
Famous Landmarks In Crete To Visit – from Knossos to its most famous beaches, gorges and more
Castles in Crete – Heraklion, Rethymno, Frangokastello and more
Minoan Sites in Crete – the six World Heritage-listed Minoan palace sites on the island
Heraklion and Central Crete
Things To Do In Heraklion – discover the greatly underrated capital of Crete
Visiting Knossos Palace Crete – the foremost ancient Minoan site in the world
Visiting Heraklion Archaeological Museum – the foremost museum on Minoan history
Hersonissos or Malia – which is better for you?
Bali Crete Beaches – guide to all 5 beaches in this beautiful north coast village
Kalypso Beach Crete – a fjord, of all things, in Crete – and one of the best places to swim and snorkel in Greece
Visiting Spinalonga Island Crete – the impregnable Venetian fortress that became home to Greece’s last leper colony
Voulisma Beach – glorious golden sands in eastern Crete
Western Crete
Things To Do In Chania – discover the most beautiful city in Crete, indeed, perhaps, Greece
Balos Beach Crete – one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean
Elafonissi Beach – the most famous pink sand beach in Crete
Falassarna Beach – one of the most beautiful beaches in the world
Kedrodasos Beach– glorious pristine beach and coves in a grove of rare juniper trees
Things To Do In Rethymno – discovering Crete’s enchanting third city
Rethymno Beaches – 20 of the best beaches in Rethymno province in central and western Crete
Panormos Crete – complete guide to this charming fishing village on Crete’s north coast