The Menelaos Parlamas Agricultural Museum and Theano Metaxa Kanakaki Weaving Collection in Piskopiano, Hersonissos, is once again welcoming visitors, marking the beginning of its seasonal operation through to October 2025.

A branch of the Historical Museum of Crete, operated by the Society of Cretan Historical Studies (SCHS), the museum presents the authentic rural life of Crete through a modern museological approach.

Housed since 1988 in a 19th-century stone-built “fabrika”, and now expanded into two two-storey buildings—donated by the family of Menelaos Parlamas, co-founder of the SCHS—the museum is located in the heart of the traditional village of Piskopiano, just a short distance from Hersonissos, one of Crete’s most popular tourist destinations.

The museum showcases daily life in the countryside, pre-industrial professions, and the rich weaving and lace-making traditions of the island. Inside spaces filled with memories that resonate across cultures, visitors explore exhibits of authentic objects, tools, handmade items, and utensils from the Ethnographic Collection of the SCHS. Each thematic section, both indoors and outdoors, is scientifically documented and accompanied by bilingual visual material.

The museum also features:
– Audio guides in four languages
– A small gift shop with multilingual publications, SCHS museum guides, and items inspired by the collections
– Braille signage
– Resting areas in the reception space, courtyard, and terraces

Opening period: May – October
Opening hours: Daily (except Tuesdays, Sundays, and public holidays), 10:00 – 18:00

Admission:
– General: €5.00
– Reduced: €3.50 for students (with ID), seniors over 65
– Free: Children up to 12, unemployed individuals (with valid card), visitors with over 67% disability (with valid certificate) and their companion, and students of the University of Crete, Technical University of Crete, Hellenic Mediterranean University, and Orthodox Academy of Crete

Contact: (+30) 28970 23303 | Irini Fantoutsaki, Museum Coordinator
E-mail: eth@ekim.gr | Angeliki Baltatzi, Curator of the SCHS Ethnographic Collection
Link: https://www.historical-museum.gr/gr/content/agrotiko-mouseio-menelaou-parlama
Facebook: @MuseumOfRuralLife