Telling the story of Crete, from Neolithic times to the extraordinary Minoans and beyond, the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion brings to life more than 5,500 years of history
You can’t fully understand Crete if you haven’t visited the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. It’s as simple as that. Housing antiquities covering 5,500 years of history, from Neolithic to Roman times, it most famously includes many of the treasured objects of Europe’s oldest civilization: the bull-leaping, snake-holding, literacy-busting Minoans.
The recently renovated museum includes displays from archaeological sites from all over Crete – Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros among them. And, of course, the best-known Minoan settlement, the Palace of Knossos, is just 13km up the road. Set over two floors and 27 galleries, you’ll piece together a unique cultural heritage.
