Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Thera sits right in the heart of Fira. It’s a small museum, often overshadowed by its more famous neighbor, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, but it’s absolutely worth a stop. Together, the two museums complement each other beautifully, with this one tracing the island’s history from the Archaic period through to the Roman era.

Most of the artifacts come from ancient Thera, the city that once stood high on Mount Mesa Vouno. Inside, you’ll find sculptures, funerary steles, and inscriptions that bring to life the world of the island’s inhabitants more than two thousand years ago. Among the highlights is a kouros, a statue of a young man whose timeless beauty still captivates, as well as a large vase decorated with ships, and the so-called Rock of Eumastas, a huge stone proudly inscribed by the man who once lifted it to prove his strength.

The museum itself has a story too. The very first one in Fira opened in 1902, but it was destroyed in the earthquake of 1956. The current building, completed in 1960, stands as a symbol of the island’s determination to safeguard its heritage despite adversity. A visit here won’t take long, but it offers a fascinating window into the daily life, rituals, and beliefs of Santorini’s people across the centuries.