HERAKLION ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Take a cultural odyssey to the island of Crete, and discover the world's most astounding collection of Minoan treasures at one of Europe's most significant museums – the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Experience the museum at your own pace with an e-ticket at your e-mail and travel back in time to explore the masterpieces of Minoan art and representative artifacts from all periods of Cretan prehistory and history, covering a chronological span of over 5,500 years. Inside, you'll be met with majestic frescoes, meticulously recreated period rooms, beautiful sculptures, pottery, bronze work, and countless other authentic artifacts from the Minoan civilization of ancient Crete. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is a beguiling mix of old and new, a chic modern museum housing some of the rarest and most precious remnants of Greek antiquity.

Pay a visit to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, one of the most important museums in Greece and in Europe. At the center of Minoan art and historic preservation, this museum experience is sure to enthrall you with one-of-a-kind exhibits, artifacts, frescoes, and more. With an English audio guide – which you download onto your smartphone – start your self-guided visit on a smooth note. Your guide not only has history and facts about everything you’ll see but also includes more than 80 stories about the Minoan era. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum was built between 1904 and 1907 over the remains of the St. Francis Monastery, which had fallen apart during an earthquake in 1856. It now houses the most valuable pieces of Cretan prehistory and history in the world, spanning 5,500 years. Some of the figurines that you’ll see include Seated Female Figurine, Snake Goddess figurines – a group of ancient sculptures excavated in 1903 in the Minoan palace at Knossos – The Poppy Goddess, and more. Coming to other significant artifacts, you can’t miss the Golden Bee Pendant, Phaistos Disc, Minos Ring – supposed to have belonged to the legendary King Minos – and Stone Bull’s Head Rhyton, and much more. Each artifact tells a story of its own. One of the most unmissable frescoes on view at the Museum is the famous Bull-Leaping Fresco, one of the most completely restored stucco panels. Archaeologists and anthropologists have studied this fresco for centuries to understand its meaning. Other priceless frescoes include the Blue Bird Fresco, The Cup Bearer, Prince of the Lillies, and more.

Prepare to visit two of the top archaeological attractions of Crete – the Palace of Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Enjoy a captivating self-guided audioguide tour at both locations. Heraklion Archaeological Museum At the center of Minoan art and historic preservation, this museum experience is sure to enthrall you with one-of-a-kind exhibits, artifacts, frescoes, and more. Your audio guide not only has history and facts but also includes more than 80 stories about the Minoan era. Built between 1904 - 1907, the Museum houses the most valuable pieces of Cretan prehistory and history in the world, spanning 5,500 years old. Some of the figurines you’ll see include Seated Female Figurine, Snake Goddess figurines – a group of ancient sculptures excavated in 1903 in the Minoan palace at Knossos – The Poppy Goddess, and more. Other significant artifacts you simply can’t miss are the Golden Bee Pendant, Phaistos Disc, Minos Ring, and Stone Bull’s Head Rhyton, etc. Priceless frescoes include the Bull-Leaping Fresco, Blue Bird Fresco, The Cup Bearer, Prince of the Lillies, and more. Knossos Palace Discover the ancient Minoan capital of Knossos through immersive storytelling and a wonderfully informative audio guide. The Knossos Palace is not only one of the most luxurious palaces in the world but also one of the oldest ones. Start the tour by exploring the South Propylaeum which depicts the scenes of everyday life and activities in Minoan Crete. Follow the evolution of Minoan fashion as you learn about the hairstyles and beauty products that were used. Head onto the West Magazines where the storage facilities of the palace are located. Get to know about the well-organized bureaucracy and the trade networks of the Minoan economy which supported the palace organization. At the South Entrance Corridor, gaze out at Mount Juktas and discover a copy of the Prince of the Lilies. Find out everything about the bath habits in the Minoan era as you visit the Queen’s Megaron which is beautifully decorated with blue dolphin frescoes.