Museum of Marble Crafts
Museum in Pyrgos on Tinos for the art and technology of marble, with tools, machinery, drawings and marble objects.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museum of Marble Crafts opened in 2008 in Pyrgos on Tinos, a village where the art of marble remains alive. It is the first museum of its kind in Greece and is run by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation. The plot was granted by the former community of Panormos, and the building’s design blends into the local landscape. The construction was financed by the Operational Programme South Aegean 2000–2006 and by Piraeus Bank.
The permanent exhibition presents the technology and tools of marble working, with an emphasis on pre-industrial and early industrial Tinos, the most important modern Greek centre of marble crafts, as well as the social and economic environment of the workshops and the role of the Tinian marble workers in building Athens and other towns in the 19th century. Many authentic objects were donated or lent by private individuals and institutions, and the historic equipment has been restored so that it works again.
The collection includes religious, secular, funerary and everyday marble objects, plaster casts and clay models, quarry and workshop tools, machinery, archival material and drawings of old sculptures. In the outdoor areas, finished and unfinished works and historic machinery are displayed, such as a derrick (bíga) and wagons from the Vathi and Patela quarries.
Highlights
- Marble objects: lintels, fountains, coats of arms, mortars
- Tools and machinery from the quarry and workshop
- Drawings and archive of old Tinian sculptures
- Outdoor areas with a derrick and wagons from the Vathi and Patela quarries
- Demonstrations of marble crafts by local craftsmen by arrangement
Permanent exhibitions
- Μόνιμη έκθεση: Η τεχνολογία και η τέχνη του μαρμάρου – Tools, machinery, casts, drawings and marble objects showing Tinian marble craft from quarrying to the finished work.
- Υπαίθριος χώρος – Finished and unfinished marble works and historic machinery, such as a derrick and wagons from the Vathi and Patela quarries.
- Founded
- 2008
- Operated by
- Πολιτιστικό Ίδρυμα Ομίλου Πειραιώς
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4visitors over 65, students from countries outside the EU, members of local cultural associations, employees of the Piraeus Bank Group with a card and organised groups of 20 or more |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for children up to 17. |
| Seniors | €4Reduced ticket for visitors over 65 on presentation of an identity card or passport. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with a disability and their companion. |
| Students & apprentices | –Free admission for holders of an EU student card. Reduced ticket for students from countries outside the EU. |
| Groups (20+ people) | €4 per personReduced ticket for organised groups of 20 or more. |
Free admission: 18 May, 5 June and the last weekend of September
Free admission also applies to teachers and academics, guides, journalists, members of ICOM and ICOMOS, the unemployed, and large or single-parent families under the foundation’s conditions. Tickets are also available online.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The building is accessible to people with disabilities. Wheelchairs are available for loan, there is a parking space for people with disabilities, and an information leaflet in Braille in Greek and English. Guide dogs are allowed.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Children can see and touch raw blocks of marble and watch educational films. For schools there are educational programmes and a free teaching folder.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking at the museum.
- Accessible parking
The museum is in Pyrgos on Tinos.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Wi-Fi
There is a refreshment kiosk, a shop run by the foundation and free WiFi. An automatic external defibrillator is available.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Amateur photography and video recording are permitted. Professional filming requires a special permit from the foundation. |
| Good to know | Demonstrations of marble crafts by local craftsmen can be arranged by prior agreement. School and group visits are booked by telephone. Pets are not allowed inside, except guide dogs. |
