Museum of Zakynthos

About the museum

The Museum of Zakynthos is housed in a neoclassical building of 1959 on the large Dionysios Solomos Square, to designs by the architect Spyridon Leggeris. The building of 1,563 m² was built to accommodate the works that survived the earthquake and fire of 1953, which destroyed the town. The first collections had begun in 1882 on the initiative of the historian Panagiotis Chiotis and were later housed in the church of the Pantokrator and in the Venetian Monte, which burned in 1953.

The works were rescued by Manolis Chatzidakis, Ephor of Antiquities and director of the Benaki Museum, with the help of conservators and craftsmen, and the new museum was inaugurated on 24 August 1960, the feast day of Saint Dionysios, patron saint of the island. The entrance stoa is decorated with capitals from the destroyed Municipal Theatre “Foskolos”, while the statue of Dionysios Solomos stands in the grounds.

The collections are displayed in seven rooms, two on the ground floor and five on the upper floor. They include icons of the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian naturalism, from the 15th to the 19th century, as well as detached wall paintings, woodcarved iconostases, church vessels and sculptures from the churches of the island. A model of the town before the earthquakes and photographs of the period complete the picture.

Highlights

• Icons of the Cretan and Ionian Schools from the 15th to 19th century
• Woodcarved iconostases and church vessels from churches destroyed in 1953
• Detached Byzantine and post-Byzantine wall paintings
• Model of the town of Zakynthos before the earthquakes
• Neoclassical building on Solomos Square with capitals from the “Foskolos” theatre

Permanent exhibition

• Μόνιμη έκθεση του Μουσείου Ζακύνθου – Icons, wall paintings, iconostases and church relics of the post-Byzantine period in seven rooms.

Founded

1960

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Ζακύνθου

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September and 28 October.

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 located on the central square of the town of Zakynthos and is reached on foot.

Amenities & dining

Toilets.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit