THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF ERESSOS AND MOLYVOS
There are actually two museums of
archaeology in Mytilini. The old archaeological museum is located close to
the statue of liberty at the main harbour and on the corner of Argyri
Eftalioti. The museum houses a wonderful collection of significant
archaeological finds from excavations and sites from the island.
Initially the Museum was
housed in a building erected by the American Classic Studies School in
1935. Due to geological problems, the stability of the building was
damaged and, in 1965, the museum's collection was partly moved to the
Bournazos family mansion, originally built in 1912, which was acquired by
the Ministry of Culture in the same year. However, this building had to be
renovated as well, and it wasn't until 1991 that the Museum took its
present form and was officially inaugurated.
The collection includes pieces from the late Neolithic Age until the late
Roman Period
The three-storied building
that houses the Archaeological Museum of Mytilene belonged to the family
of Achilleas Vournazos and was built in the eclectic style by the Smyrniot
architect Vapheiadis, around 1921. It is an exquisite specimen of the
architecture in the last years of the Turkish occupation and has been
protected with a preservation order. In 1965 the Greek State purchased it
from the Vournazos' heirs. In 1985 it housed the newly founded Ministry of
the Aegean and the antiquities were stored in the basement. In 1991 the
Ministry was moved to another building, and in 1992 the exhibition was
finally rearranged by the 20th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical
Antiquities.
There are prehistoric relics from the villages of
Andissa, Molyvos and Mytilini itself. Here you will also find examples of
beautiful mosaics, inscriptions from island treaties and magnificent gold
funeral offerings. In 1980, mosaics found during excavations on the site
of a post Roman villa were moved here. They are stunning examples of the
fashion of the time and an important addition to the museum collection.
The old museum garden is filled with beautiful
ancient relics .
OPENING TIME
Winter period : Monday: Closed, Tuesday - Friday: 08:00 - 14:30
Weekends and Holidays 08:00 - 14:30
From July 1st to October 31: Daily: 08.30 - 15.00, Monday: closed
Ticket price
Full admission € 3
Reduced admission
(students from countries outside the E.U., citizens of the E.U. aged over
65) € 2
Free admission
• persons under 18
• university students from Greece and the E.U.
• students of Classical Studies or Fine Arts from countries outside the
E.U.
• members of the ICOM-ICOMOS
• Tour guides
• journalists
• persons possessing a free admission card
• Days of free admission for all visitors: Sundays in the period between 1
November and 31 March, the first Sunday of every month, except for July,
August and September (when the first Sunday is holiday, then the second is
the free admission day, etc.)
Telephone +30-0251 - 28032 FAX: +30-0251 - 20745
The new archaeological Museum is located in a new
building on Melina Merkouri Street. It houses many temporary temporary
exhibitions. In the future we hope to provide a program of forthcoming
exhibits, until then the Museum can be contacted on 0030-251-22087.
