Museums in Heraklion offer an insight into the history of Crete

Heraklion, also referred as Iraklion, doesn’t fit into the frame of a regular holiday destination, particularly when you are looking for a tranquil vacation. This fifth largest city in Greece doesn’t have a great infrastructure for travel and traffic congestion is a routine affair. But travellers are advised not to lose hope as once they hit its streets they will find that this city has a lot to see and do for them. And overlooking this city over petty issues could be a great mistake. In recent decades, the city has made great investment in its infrastructure in order to make this city friendlier for tourists who often fly to Heraklion to understand its history and culture. Here we turn spotlight on major museums in Heraklion that offers an insight into the history and culture of the region.

Historical Museum of Crete

Travellers who want to know the history of Crete should never miss an opportunity to explore this artefact rich museum. There are various exhibits related to Byzantine, Venetian and Turkish periods. The guests can also see exhibits related to WWII. Several frescoes, paintings, jewellery and embroidered items are also on display.

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum is housed in old electricity power plant for Heraklion. The museum introduces you to the plant and animals life of the eastern Mediterranean, especially Crete. But the biggest draw of the museum is the life-size representation of the elephant-like Deinotherium gigantum, one of the largest mammals on the planet earth. 3-D Earthquake Simulator is another major thing that attracts a large number of visitors.

The Battle of Crete and National Resistance Museum

The Museum of the Battle of Crete and National Resistance (1941-1945) was founded in May 1994. The museum showcases collections and relics from 1940s. It is a fine place to sneak a peek into the life of people during the Battle of Crete and the German-Italian occupation. The museum also focuses on creating awareness and respect about the history of Crete. Those who have plans to visit these museums should check the location of museums as it will soon be shifted to a different location.

Museum of Visual Arts

The Heraklion Museum of Visual Arts aims at promoting cultural and artistic activities in this region. And this museum is a fine place to see artworks by Cretan artists. Apart from being a place for exhibitions the museum is also a place for artists and art lovers to meet and exchange ideas over the art. It also offers a platform for aesthetics and intellectual cultivation, recreation and learning. The museum is also an ideal place for exhibitions and meetings.

Archaeological Museum

One of the most admired museums in Europe; Heraklion Archaeological Museum was founded during is 1930s. The museum is situated on the site of the imposing Venetian Franciscan friar that was ravaged in an earthquake in 1856. The museum is a fine place to see archaeological relics from all over Crete.