Museum of Spetses

About the museum

The mansion of Hatzigiannis Mexis was built between 1795 and 1798 in a U-shaped layout and consists of a ground floor and two upper floors. The arcaded loggias on the façade make the heavy building look lighter. The ground floor holds Mexis’s private apartments, his office, the dining room and the room with the strongbox. On the first floor are two spacious rooms that served as women’s quarters and guest rooms, and on the second floor the “great ontas”, with its carved wooden ceiling, the typical single living hall of a Spetses house.

The exhibits represent more than 4,000 years of the island’s cultural history. The archaeological collection was recently enriched by a donation of coins and finds from various periods from Adonis Kyrou, while many icons and church objects come from salvage and donations. The ceramics recall the bold voyages of the Spetsiots to East and West at the end of the 18th century.

The revolutionary flag, the bones of Bouboulina, portraits and weapons of hers and other fighters, historical documents, personal objects and pictures of ships bear witness to Spetses’ contribution to the 1821 War of Independence. Everyday objects, examples of domestic and maritime woodcarving such as chests, furniture and figureheads, as well as costumes and embroidery, complete the picture of life before and after the Revolution.

Highlights

• The flag of the 1821 Revolution and the bones of Bouboulina
• Portraits, weapons and documents of fighters of 1821
• Figureheads, chests and maritime woodcarving
• Archaeological collection with coins and finds from various periods
• Mansion from 1795–1798 with the carved “great ontas”

Permanent exhibition

• Μόνιμη έκθεση του Μουσείου Σπετσών – Archaeological finds, icons, maritime relics and objects from the 1821 Greek War of Independence in the rooms of the Mexis mansion.

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Πειραιώς και Νήσων

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and every first and third Sunday of the month from 1 November to 31 March.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is about a 10-minute walk from the port.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Shop with books, museum replicas and postcards; WiFi available.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit