The Maritime Museum of Crete is near the port of Chania, next to the entrance of the Firka fortress. The museum was founded in order to preserve the naval traditions of Greece and Crete.
The museum was founded in 1973 and is one of the best maritime museums in the world. It became a member of the International Museum Council (ICOM) in 2011.
One of the Venetian dockyards, Moro, in the cove of the old port was given to the museum in order to host the permanent exhibition of the Greek Traditional Naval Architecture and the Ancient Naval Architecture Exhibition.
Various types of traditional boats, samples of the Greek sea culture are exhibited in the Greek Traditional Naval Architecture. Various tools of the old ship builders are also kept in the exhibition.
The Minoan ship that was re-built, its pilot, tools and materials and a full photograph collection presenting the stages of the shipbuilding and shipping are in the Ancient Naval Architecture Exhibition.
The Sea Environment Exhibition with exhibitions taken from the sea bottom, the Cretan Battle Exhibition and the Exhibition of Lighthouse material are also in the museum.
The Maritime Museum works:
1/11-31/04 Everyday 9.00-14.00
01/05-31/10 Everyday 9.00-17.00, Sunday 10.00-18.00
The Museum is closed on Public Holidays.
Temporary Ancient and Traditional Shipbuilding Exhibition (Moro Dockyard):
01/05-31/10 Everyday 09.00-17.00, Sunday 10.00-18.00
The Exhibition is closed on Public Holidays.