The Semeli Hotel Magazine - www.semelihotel.gr Semeli The Hotel - Magazine | Page 80

Chora also has an Archaeological Museum. Built in
1902, it is located near the port and considered to be an
important cultural attraction for residents and visitors alike.
It boasts a unique collection of sculptures, ceramics and
jewelry that came from excavations in Mykonos, Delos
and Rhenia. Some of them date from the Geometric peri-
od up to the 6th century BC. The Museum is most famous
for its vase collection, the most precious exhibit being a 7th
century BC jug depicting the Trojan horse. It is open from
8:30 am to 3:00 pm daily except Mondays.
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In the center of Chora, the Nautical Museum and Folk-
lore Museum likewise merit a visit. The former was found-
ed in 1983 and opened to the public in 1985. Its founder
and chairman, George M. Drakopoulos, in fact, received
the Athens Academy Award and the World Ship Trust’s
Award for Individual Achievement for the foundation of
the Museum. It is located in the city center, near the Tria
Pigadia area, and aims to undertake the preservation, pro-
motion and study of Greek maritime history and tradition.
Specializing in the merchant-ship history of the Aegean
Sea, the Museum showcases models of paddle, travel and
all kinds of boats, from the pre-Minoan era until the 19th
century. There is also a collection of coins and engravings
depicting naval performances. The garden of the Aegean
Maritime Museum features the original mechanism of the
historic lighthouse, Faros Armenistis, as well as several an-
cient sailors’ marble gravestones collected from Mykonos
and Delos. It is open from April to October, from 10:30 am
to 1:00 pm, daily, and on the afternoons from 6:30 to 9:00.
Mykonos Folklore Museum, on the other hand, is lo-
cated in an old two-storied mansion, close to the Castle.
Here you will discover a huge and interesting collection of
keys, handmade garments, embroidery, photographs and
gravures, old furniture and tools. It is open from April to
October, 4:30 pm-8:30 pm, daily, except Sundays.
Try to keep your strength though for there is much
more to see. Among the most interesting monuments and
sites in Mykonos are:
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