Museums on Crete
The Heraklion Archaeological Museum, the Palace of Knossos and the Archaeological Museum of Chania.
Crete Museum Guide
Our guide lists 64 museums on Crete across 40 towns and cities. You’ll find the widest choice in Heraklion (7), Chania (5), and Rethymno (5).
Broken down by focus, the largest shares go to Archaeology & Antiquity (42%), History & Cultural History (14%), and City & Regional Museums (14%) – 10 of our 12 categories are represented.
5 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs €5 at the median, and the middle half charge between €5 and €10.
10 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 7 offer dedicated programs for families, and 13 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 museums on Crete
The best-known museums on Crete
- Archaeological Site of KnossosArchaeology · Knossos
- SpinalongaHistory · Plaka
- Archaeological Site of PhaistosArchaeology · Phaistos
- Zakros PalaceArchaeology · Kato Zakros
- Archaeological Site of the Royal Villa of Agia TriadaArchaeology · Agia Triada
- Archaeological Site of GortynaArchaeology · Ampelouzos
- GourniaArchaeology · Pachia Ammos
Heraklion Archaeological MuseumArchaeology · Heraklion- Archaeological Site of MaliaArchaeology · Malia
- Venetian Koules Fortress, HeraklionCastles & Palaces · Heraklion
Museums on Crete with free admission
Museums on Crete with programs for families
Historical Museum of CreteHistory · Heraklion
Natural History Museum of CreteNature · Heraklion
Nikos Kazantzakis MuseumPeople · Myrtia
School Life MuseumSpecial · Nerokourou
The Residence - Museum of Eleftherios VenizelosPeople · Chania
Museum of TypographyTechnology · Souda- Museum of Contemporary Art of CreteArt · Rethymno
Wheelchair-accessible museums on Crete
- Heraklion Archaeological MuseumArchaeology · Heraklion
Archaeological Museum of ChaniaArchaeology · Chania- Historical Museum of CreteHistory · Heraklion
- Natural History Museum of CreteNature · Heraklion
Archaeological Museum of Agios NikolaosArchaeology · Agios Nikolaos- Archaeological Museum of SiteiaArchaeology · Siteia
Archaeological Museum of KissamosArchaeology · Kissamos
Archaeological Collection of IerapetraArchaeology · Ierapetra- Archaeological Museum of MessaraArchaeology · Ampelouzos
Museum of St. Catherine in HeraklionArt · Heraklion
By category
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many museums are there on Crete?
Our directory currently lists 64 museums on Crete across 40 towns and cities.
What are the best-known museums on Crete?
Some of the best known are Archaeological Site of Knossos, Spinalonga, Archaeological Site of Phaistos, Zakros Palace, and Archaeological Site of the Royal Villa of Agia Triada.
Which museums on Crete offer free admission?
5 museums are free to visit – for example School Life Museum, Αρχαιολογική Συλλογή Μαλεβιζίου, Εκκλησιαστικό Μουσείο Ρεθύμνου, and Ιστορικό και Λαογραφικό Μουσείο Βιάννου.
Which museums on Crete are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 44 are open, such as Archaeological Site of Knossos, Spinalonga, and Archaeological Site of Phaistos.
Which museums on Crete are wheelchair accessible?
10 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Archaeological Museum of Chania, and Historical Museum of Crete. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit museums on Crete?
A regular adult ticket costs €5 at the median, with prices ranging from €2 to €20. Children, students and families usually pay less.
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