Museums To Visit in Lesvos, Greece
Comments Off on Museums To Visit in Lesvos, Greece
The island of Lesvos, Greece is full of mystery, beauty, and delicious cuisine. The island is rich in vegetation, olive groves, and walnut trees, oak trees, and pine trees. There is a petrified forest called Sigri and multiple relaxing beaches.
If you’re in the mood to discover the history of the island of Lesvos, there are a number of museums for you to visit. Indulge your love of history and culture by visiting some or all of these museums.
Archaeological Museum of Mytilini
Located in a traditional mansion near the harbor of Mytilini you will find the Archaeological Museum of Mytilini. The museum showcases the rich history of the island with collections of archaeological findings that have been gathered from ancient settlements around Lesvos. Items include tombstones, coins, jewelry, marble temples, and more. A headless female statue from the Roman period and a reconstructed fountain from the Turkish occupation are items you won’t want to miss.
Theophilos Museum
The Theophilos Museum is found 4 km from the town of Mytilini. The museum features paintings of famous local folklore artists Theofilos Hatzimihael. The artist was born in and spent his childhood years in Varia, a suburb of Mytilini. The museums has five halls and showcases 86 works by the painter. Though a wonderful painter, Hatzimihael spent much of his life in poverty and would paint walls of buildings for food. Still today, some of his work can still be seen. If you’re an art-lover, you’ll want to visit the Theophilos Museum.
Olive Museum of Archipelago
This museum was one of the first steam-powered factories of the Aegean. Built by Nicholas Vranas in 1887, the museum is located in the village of Papados. Varnas is the grandfather of poet Odysseas Elytis. The factory operated until the early 1970s. In 1999, the building became the property of a non-profit organization and it was converted into a museum.
Barbayiannis Ouzo Museum
Located in the village of Plomari, the Barbayiannis Ouzo Museum functions as a distillery to showcase the 150-year old tradition of producing ouzo. Ouzo is a traditional alcoholic beverage of Lesvos. The Barbayiannis family has produced Greek ouzo for five generations. They are passionate about preserving the traditional distillation techniques. In the museum you will see original equipment used to bottle and label the Ouzo Barbayianni Blue, and the first alembic (constructed in 1858 in Constantinople), which was used to compose recipes. The museum has a visitor’s center and gift shop. Wine-tasting tours are also available.
Folklore Museum
The Folklore Museum is housed in the renovated Old Port Authority of Mytilene. The museum features items that are related to the culture and history of Lesvos, Greece. You will see things such as every day objects, clay vessels, rare books, manuscripts, and traditional costumes.
The island of Lesvos has been inhabited since prehistoric times. This means a lot of history for you to explore. Anyone with a love of history, learning, art, and even alcohol, will find a museum worth visiting when in Lesvos, Greece.
Categorized in: About Lesvos, Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
