Heraklion Archaeological Museum

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum on Crete is one of Greece’s foremost museums for the Bronze Age Minoan civilization, holding a particularly large and important collection of Minoan artifacts. Its holdings range from Neolithic objects through Minoan palatial periods to later antiquity.

Major fresco fragments, pottery and ritual objects from key Cretan sites and the notable inscribed Phaistos Disc. The museum’s displays present material from Knossos, Phaistos, Malia and other excavation sites and are arranged to follow chronological and thematic lines.

The museum’s collection grew from 19th- and 20th-century archaeological excavations on Crete and has been housed in the current museum complex since the 20th century, assembled to preserve and display finds from systematic digs. Conservation and exhibition programs have expanded the museum’s capacity to research and present Minoan material culture.

Situated in central Heraklion, the museum is a short drive from the city’s port and about 5 km from the palace of Knossos, placing it within easy reach for visitors combining city and archaeological site visits.

• Proximity to Knossos: Located about 5 km from the archaeological site of Knossos, making it a common next stop for visitors to the palace ruins.
• Signature exhibits: Houses the Phaistos Disc and major Minoan fresco and ceramic collections that are central to Bronze Age Crete studies.

What to See #

• Minoan galleries: Extensive exhibition galleries of Minoan artifacts recovered from sites such as Knossos, Phaistos and Malia, spanning Neolithic to Late Bronze Age contexts.
• Phaistos Disc display: The disc discovered at Phaistos and other notable inscribed objects displayed in a dedicated section for unique finds.
• Frescoes and figurines galleries: Rooms displaying fresco fragments and ritual objects, including the bull-leaping imagery and figurines associated with Minoan religion.