A visit to the museum should start in the basement where there are many fascinating remains from Venetian Iraklion as well as some Turkish exhibits. These include a portal from the San Francesco Monastery (destroyed in the Turkish siege), an artistic Venetian fountain from a palazzo and a relief from the Lazzaretto Gate (Agios Georgios). One room also has Turkish grave stones and inscriptions from this era.

On the main floor there is an icon display from the Byzantine monastery of the Panagia Gouverniotissa in Potamies, along with the church's altar screen and sanctuary doors, all works from the sixteenth century. Also in the entrance hall, are seventeenth century Venetian maps and views of the forts and castles of Crete.

One of the upper rooms is dedicated to the famous Cretan author, Nikos Kazantzakis and another to E. Tsouderos the Cretan statesman from Rethimnon. Mr. Tsouderos, was the Prime Minister of Crete during the Second World War. Outside these rooms are photographs from the Battle of Crete, May 1941.

Also upstairs in the museum is the recently acquired painting by the Cretan Dominikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco) -- View of Mont Sinai and the monastery of St. Catherine, circa 1570, the only painting in Crete by him.

A new modern addition has many old photographs of Cretan freedom fighters and dignitaries of the brief period before Crete's union with Greece.

A special section of the new extension of the museum points out the secular aspects of Byzantine art in the many donor frescoes preserved in the churches of that era. Changes in dress are evident in these frescoes.

The top floor of the museum has an excellent representation of Cretan embroidery, weaving, and crocheting. Two noteworthy exhibits include embroidered men's jackets (from Anogia and Sfakia) and women's costumes from two areas known for their handicraft --Anogia and Kritsa. Also on the top floor is a replica of a Cretan house circa 1900 and the museum's ethnographic collection.

Admission: 3-5 euros, children under 12 free

Address: House A. & M. Kalokerinos, 27 Sofokli Venizelou Ave. / 7 Lysimachou Kalokerinou St., 71202 Heraklion, Crete, Greece