Greece is famous for being one of the great civilizations ever. Add the 4,000 years of history and now it’s pretty clear why we can visit more than 240 museums in Greece. They come in many forms and cover many areas, from history to architecture and folklore.

The museums in Greece are typically located where excavations took place. So aside from visiting important archeological sites where civilizations prospered, you will also get to visit the museums and understand more about those who lived there.

Most of the important museums are located in Athens and on the sites of the most important archaeological sites of Greece . However, interesting museums , although smaller, can be found on most of the islands, as well.

Here is a list of some important museums in Greece:

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens , Athens

It is one of the world’s largest museums and the largest in Greece. It houses around 20,000 exhibits providing rich information about Greece, from the Prehistoric times to Late Antiquity, divided into five permanent collections. The museum is open from Tuesday until Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Mondays).

The New Acropolis Museum , Athens

It is located on the southern slope which leads to the Acropolis and houses more than 4,000 ancient works divided into five permanent collections. The museum also houses temporary exhibitions. General admission is €5. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

>>read more about the Acropolis of Athens

The Archaeological Museum of Delphi, Delphi

It is located right by the archeological site of Delphi. The best known piece of the museum is the Charioteer. It houses the artifacts found in the complex of the ancient Oracle of Delphi from the 18th century BC. There are four permanent collections.

Heraklion Museum , Crete

It is one of the most important archeological museums in Greece and comprises a complete collection of artifacts of the Minoan civilization of Crete. It also covers other periods of Cretan history, with artifacts from the Neolithic to the Greco-Roman period. The museum is currently CLOSED (under renovation) and is scheduled to open again in the spring of 2012.

The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae, Mycenae

The area of Mycenae is considered a huge open museum as it was one of the most important civilization centers in the second millennium BC. The museum houses a model of the archeological site of Mycenae and comprises more than 2,000 artifacts from the site. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (summer) and general admission is €4.

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Olympia, Olympia

It is located right near the archeological site of ancient Olympia. It offers visitors the possibility to understand the many facets of the ancient Olympic Games.

Museum of Prehistoric Art, Santorini

It houses a lot of the archeological finds from the ancient site of Akrotiri. You can also see impressive frescoes and sculptures of the Hellenistic period. There are three permanent collections on display. The museum is open from Tuesday until Sunday between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The Archaeological Museum of Sitia, Crete

The museum comprises the major archeological finds from the sites in Eastern Crete. The highlights include pottery and statues.

The Eretria Archaeological museum, Eretria

It is located close to the archeological site of Eretria and house a small, but important collection of artifacts. It also sheds a new light on the less-known period of Greece: the Dark ages.

The Vergina Royal Tombs, Vergina

This is considered one of the most spectacular museums of Greece. Visitors can visit both the four tombs themselves and the artifacts they comprise. The site also comprises a small temple.

More details about:

>>Museums in Athens
>>Museums in Thessaloniki
>>Best Islands for History Buffs
>>Day trips from Athens
>>Day trips from Thessaloniki