Museums to Visit in Ithaca, Greece
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The calm and mysterious Greek island of Ithaca will easily draw you in with its natural beauty. The green hills and rocky mountains of white, gray, and orange will leave you in awe. In addition to its natural beauty, the island of Ithaca is home to fascinating history to explore. Here are some museums you can spend time at when in Ithaca, Greece.
Stavros Museum
The Stavros Museum in Ithaca, Greece is an archaeological collection of findings from the Stavros region and northern Ithaca. The building that houses the museum was built in 1930. The building was renovated in 1998. It is small, containing only one room, but is definitely worth a visit. Exhibits at the Stavros Museum date from the Early Hellenic to the Roman Periods.
Exhibits include: a clay plate with the representation of a cock that dates to the 7th century BC; fragments of a clay mask with an inscription dedicating it to Odysseus dating to the 1st or 2nd century BC; and a stone relief that was found at Polis Cave and dates to the Hellenistic period.
Folklore and Nautical Museum
Located in the town of Vathy, the Folklore and Nautical Museum of Ithaca is housed in a building that once served as a generating station. The museum showcases fully assembled rooms including a kitchen, bedrooms, and sitting rooms from the Colonial period as well as traditional costumes, musical instruments, embroidery, and workshop tools that were used during the time.
There are photographs that show the devastation of the earthquake of 1953. There are also other images and photographs on the walls as you explore the rooms, including one of a woman from the 1800s. You will feel as though you’ve taken a step back in time in the Folklore and Nautical Museum of Ithaca.
Archaeological Museum
Located in Vathy, the capital of Ithaca, the Archaeological Museum is just one block away from the quay. The museum showcases findings from the excavation sites around Piso Aetos, Loizos Cave in Polis Bay, Ancient Alalcomai, Homer’s School, the Early Helladic settlement, and other areas around the island.
Findings date from the Geometric to the Roman period. An important piece at the museum is a ring-shaped vase that dates to the Late Geometric period. The vase is decorated with narrow bands on the sides of the ring, hatched triangles on the neck, and has angular walls.
Another important piece includes a votive inscription that mentions Hera and goddess Athena. It dates to the Late Archaic period and was found at Polis Cave. You can also view an impressive collection of pottery that dates to the Geometric period.
Cultural Centre of Ithaki
The Cultural Centre of Ithaki is located in Vathy and showcases many rare books including the only existing edition of the Odyssey, the works of Agios Athanasios that date from 1686, and the Iliad in Japanese. This rich library is definitely worth a visit when you are in Ithaca.
Visit these museums in Ithaca, Greece and learn about the history of the island.
Categorized in: About Ithaca, Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
