Heraklion Archaeological Museum

For those interested in Minoan civilization, first writing systems and history, it's a great opportunity to see unique artifacts. For tourists it's a good spot to hide from summer heat and understand better Knossos palace archeological site. If you're into history, consider 2-3 hours visit. If you're usual tourist, 1-2 hours should be enough. There is a nice garden and cafe, if you want to grab a snack or a drink. Small kids will likely to be bored.

The museum itself is stunning — a beautifully curated and thoughtfully laid out collection. We booked 6pm tickets to avoid the crowds, which was absolutely worth it. That said, it was frustrating to be told there were only 10 minutes left just as we were wrapping up, and even more disappointing to find the gift shop had already closed 30 minutes earlier with no warning. A simple heads-up an hour before closing — especially about the gift shop — would go a long way in improving the experience. Still, the museum is well worth the visit.

The value of this museum is absolutely amazing, almost absurd the amount of history in all the small pieces of history displayed. Fascinating small objects from thousands of years ago, perfectly preserved and maintained. Wonder how people back then could be so skillful while having a tiny of the technology we have right now. Totally worth the price and time to visit this museum while in Crete.

Nice museum with two floors, gift shops, bathrooms, and large cafe & seating area. The exhibits themselves took 2 hours to see and we could have spent longer in there. I had a hard time figuring out the picture etiquette as sometimes they said no pictures of the gods statues and others were fine, even the headstones and remains? They did have museum staff in all the rooms that could answer some questions. If you only go to one museum in Greece, this is the one to go to! We first went to palace of Knossos with a guide before going here which was great to understand more about where the artifacts from this Meier were found and how the timeline and history was pieced together.

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion showcases an outstanding collection of Minoan artifacts and exhibits that provide deep insight into Crete’s ancient history. The displays are well-organized and informative, though several of the intended audio recordings weren’t working, and a projected video had text that was too faint to read. There’s a snack shop on site, which is a nice bonus. However, two of the stalls in the women’s restroom were out of order, which created a bit of a wait. Overall, still a rich and worthwhile experience, but a few maintenance and technical improvements would go a long way.

Very good museum. Lots of information and the app was good for English info. Very interesting and I enjoyed visiting after Knossos palace. We went as it opened so it wasn’t too busy but got quite busy as time went on. Would definitely recommend a visit. Pay same on the door as you do online, need to select an entry time online so we just paid on arrival.

Beautifully set out following the Minoan civilization in chronological order. Rooms spacious and well laid out highlighting the arifacts. Staff very friendly and helpful with information. The recreation of Knossos Palace allowed you to see the placement of rooms and halls that you visited at the Archaeological site.

A good three or four hours spent here. It’s well laid out, and beautifully presented. Try the cafe as well for a spectacular view of the city, good coffee and local food. €12 entry - but air conditioned and if you like your history and ceramics worth it. Plenty of outside and inside breakout spaces for r&r. A lovely experience setting us up for the old part of the city which is immediately behind.