Archaeological Museum of Ierapetra

The archaeological collection began to take shape in the late 19th century, when local citizens with a strong interest in history and archaeology founded the Educational Association of Ierapetra with the aim of collecting and preserving the antiquities of the region.
The exhibits cover a long historical period from the 3rd millennium BC to the 5th century AD and originate mainly from ancient Hierapytna, one of the most important cities of eastern Crete, located on the site of modern Ierapetra, as well as from the surrounding area.

Visitors to the collection can admire clay sarcophagi, pottery, inscriptions, sculptures, and coins that illustrate the historical and cultural development of the region through the centuries. One of the museum’s most remarkable exhibits is the beautiful statue of the draped goddess Persephone, also identified as Kore, dating to the 2nd century AD and considered one of the finest artifacts in the collection.

The Archaeological Collection of Ierapetra offers a fascinating insight into the history of southeastern Crete and serves as an important cultural institution connecting the ancient city of Hierapytna with modern-day Ierapetra.