The Pithos of Mykonos, a 1.34-metre-tall storage jar from around 670 BC, carries one of the earliest known depictions of the Trojan Horse in Greek art — Greek warriors’ faces visible through window motifs cut into the clay. Found on Mykonos in 1961, it sits at the centre of the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, a neoclassical building on the Old Port that opened in 1905 to house finds from the island of Delos and its necropolis on Rineia. For families who want their children to see ancient storytelling etched into pottery rather than read about it in a textbook, this small museum delivers an unusually direct connection.
Yes, if you keep expectations in scale. The museum has one building and a focused collection — think 30 minutes to an hour, not a full morning. The Pithos of Mykonos and the Rineia funerary objects are the real draws, and the 5 EUR entry puts it among the more affordable cultural stops on an island where a casual lunch often runs over 25 EUR per person.
The museum was designed by architect Alexandros Lykakis and funded by the Athens Archaeological Society. Its original purpose was to hold the enormous volume of material coming out of excavations on Delos, where the French School of Archaeology had been working since the late 19th century. Delos had no permanent population or infrastructure to store finds, so Mykonos — a short boat ride away — became the logical repository.
The neoclassical structure sits directly on the harbour front, across from the Old Port quay. If your family arrives by ferry, you walk past it. Staying in Mykonos Town (Chora) means the museum is within easy walking distance from any accommodation, which matters when you’re managing tired legs. The interior is well-organised and calm — a genuine contrast to the noise and crowds of Mykonos Town outside.
The museum closes on Tuesdays year-round. If you’re planning a visit for a Tuesday, you’ll need to shift your schedule. This is a reliable piece of information that applies in every season.
The collection spans from the prehistoric period through the Roman era, but the strongest material clusters around three sources: Delos, Rineia, and Mykonos itself. The Pithos of Mykonos gets the most attention, and for good reason — it shows the Trojan Horse in relief, with Greek warriors peering out of windows, long before the Homeric epics were written down in their final form. The jar was used as a funerary container and held human bones when it was discovered.
Cycladic figurines from the Early Cycladic period (3200–2000 BC) are another highlight. These minimalist marble sculptures, often female forms with folded arms, are widely recognised as signature artefacts of Aegean prehistory. Scholars debate whether they served religious, funerary, or domestic purposes — a genuine mystery that tends to intrigue older children. The museum also holds a substantial collection of funerary stelae and grave offerings from Rineia, the necropolis where the dead of Delos were interred because Delos itself was considered too sacred for births or deaths.
| Artifact | Period | Origin | Standout Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pithos of Mykonos | Archaic (c. 670 BC) | Mykonos | Earliest known Trojan Horse depiction in Greek art |
| Cycladic figurines | Early Cycladic (3200–2000 BC) | Cyclades | Stylised marble forms; function still debated |
| Rineia funerary stelae | Classical (5th c. BC) | Rineia | Markers from the 426 BC purification pit |
| Hellenistic statues | Hellenistic (323–31 BC) | Delos | Expressive movement and detailed drapery |
| Jewellery and personal items | Various periods | Delos and Mykonos | Shows daily life and trade networks in the Cyclades |
The table above covers the main draws, but the museum’s layout is roughly chronological, so you can follow the sequence of Cycladic history from early settlements through the Roman period. Information panels in Greek and English are well-regarded by visitors, and non-flash photography for personal use is generally permitted.
Understanding why so many Delos artefacts ended up on Mykonos requires knowing a strange rule: for centuries, no one was allowed to be born or die on Delos. The island was considered sacred as the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, so the dead were transported to neighbouring Rineia. In 426 BC, the Athenians carried out a ritual purification, moving all existing burials from Delos to Rineia — creating the massive funerary deposit that forms the backbone of the museum’s collection.
Delos itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site and an open-air archaeological area where you can walk through temples, houses, and the ancient agora. Many families pair a morning on Delos with an afternoon at the Mykonos museum — either before the trip to understand what you’re about to see, or after to process what you walked through. The museum is a one-minute walk from the Old Port, where boats to Delos depart.
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If you’re looking for a structured way to explore both, there are options for archaeology tours on Mykonos that cover the museum and the island’s ancient sites. For families who prefer to move at their own pace, the museum’s location makes it easy to slot into a walking route through Mykonos Town — from the Old Port to Paraportiani Church and Little Venice — and walking tours of Mykonos Town often include a stop at the museum.
Logistics Notes for Families
The entry fee is 5 EUR for adults and 3 EUR for reduced admission; children 18 and younger often enter free. The museum offers free admission on several dates each year: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sundays of each month from November to March. Opening hours run 09:00–16:00 from April to October and 08:30–15:30 in winter, with Tuesdays excluded year-round.
Strollers are difficult to manoeuvre in Mykonos Town’s narrow, uneven streets, and the museum’s historic building may have limited ramp access. A baby carrier or backpack is more practical for infants and toddlers. The visit itself takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how closely your family reads the panels — short enough to hold attention, long enough to feel substantial.
The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when cruise passengers haven’t yet filled the galleries. Shoulder seasons (April–May and September–October) bring cooler weather and thinner crowds, which makes the museum feel more spacious. On windy days when the Meltemi is blowing, the museum becomes one of the few indoor attractions on the island — a practical shelter that also happens to be educational.
Reader Questions
Will my young children enjoy this museum?
It depends on their age and interests. The Pithos of Mykonos with the Trojan Horse is visually striking and easy to explain. Younger children may lose interest in the pottery and stelae after 20 minutes, while older kids who have studied ancient Greece tend to find the Cycladic figurines and Delos connection fascinating.
How much time should we budget?
Most visitors spend 30 minutes to an hour inside. The museum is small — one building with a focused collection — so you won’t feel rushed or overwhelmed. Combining it with a walk through Mykonos Town or a ferry to Delos makes for a full but manageable half-day.
Can we take photos inside?
Non-flash photography for personal use is generally permitted. Check the signage at the entrance or ask the desk staff. The Pithos of Mykonos is the object that draws the most camera attention, and the lighting is good enough that you won’t need flash.
Is the museum accessible for pushchairs or wheelchairs?
The building dates to 1905 and accessibility is limited. There may be ramp access, but the historic structure wasn’t designed for mobility aids. Contact the museum directly or check the official Greek Ministry of Culture website for the most current accessibility information before your visit.
Should we visit before or after Delos?
Both approaches work. Going before gives you context for what you’ll see on Delos — the pottery styles, the funerary practices, the trade goods. Going after helps you process what you walked through on the island. Families who do both in one day report that the museum fills in the gaps that the open-air site leaves open.
The Archaeological Museum of Mykonos doesn’t try to be comprehensive. It holds one extraordinary piece — the Pithos with its Trojan Horse — and a collection of funerary objects that tell a specific story about how the ancient Cyclades treated death, ritual, and the boundary between sacred and profane. For families who want to show their children that history is made of objects with secrets still embedded in them, that’s enough. For more on planning your time on the island, see the Mykonos destination guide.
Sources and further reading
Mykonos Archaeological Museum guide. Day Trips from Mykonos, accessed 2025.
Archaeological Museum of Mykonos visitor information. Airial Travel, accessed 2025.
Archaeological Museum Mykonos — in-depth collection overview. Wonderful Museums, accessed 2025.
Delos — sacred island of Apollo and Artemis. Wikipedia, accessed 2025.
Etesian (Meltemi) wind patterns in the Aegean. Wikipedia, accessed 2025.
