Museums and Collections
One of the many beautiful medieval monuments of the city of Chania, the imposing church of the monastery of the monks of Frangiskan (16th century), houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania which has a collection of finds from a variety of sites in the prefecture. Discoveries from the Minoan civilization of Chania, amongst which the clay tablets of early script, that of Linear A and Linear B, fragments of vases, as well as the clay seal, known as the "master's impression", really stand out. Prominent is also the presence of the painted late Minoan clay shrines and dozens of vases, along with the compass from the late Minoan tomb of Aptera, with the beautiful portrayal of the guitar player which is also awe inspiring. The exhibits of historical times (1milleniumBC) where the group of votive bulls from Tsiskiana, the Hellenistic and Roman statues from important archaeological sites of the prefecture and the three mosaic floors dating back to the Roman years from the city of Chania with portrayals from mythology, captivate the visitor. Finally, equally remarkable is the collection of the Hellenistic and Roman gold jewellery taken from tombs discovered in the city of Chania or sanctuaries of the surrounding area.
At another Venetian church, the church of San Salvatore of the monks Frangiskan (15th -17th century) the noteworthy Byzantine and post - Byzantine Collection of Chania is housed. It boasts discoveries from the prefecture such as architectural sculptures, inscriptions, frescoes, icons, coins, jewellery and ceramics.
Inside the fortress of Firka is where the Naval Museum of Chania is housed and where exhibits relevant to naval history and the sea such as naval maps, engravings, naval instruments, model ships and a rich collection of shells can be found while a big part of the museum is taken up by memorabilia from the Battle of Crete. Further down, in the same fortress, is The Folklore Collection of the Historical, Cultural and Archeological Society of Crete, with a plethora of items from the rural and urban life of Crete and a rich Cretan library.
The War Museum of Chania is housed in the Italian Barracks, a work of the Italian architect Macuzo (1870), next to the Public Garden. It is a branch of the War Museum of Athens. The Historic Archives of Crete was founded in 1932 and it is located at 20, I. Sfakianaki Street. Its library comprises over 6500 thousand books as well as very important documents from the Cretan rebellions from 1821, archives of the Cretan State as well as archives of civilians. It is one of the richest archive collections, second only to the General Archives of the State. It also has a small collection of folkloric and historical material.
The Public Art Gallery at the beginning of Chalidon Street, which houses a part of the collection of artwork which the Municipality of Chania has obtained over the years, is a museum interested in the protection and preservation of culture.
The house of Venizelos in Halepa, is the house where Eleftherios Venizelos lived for the majority of his life. It is open to the public and it functions as a museum of furniture and personal items of the great leader.
