Archaeological Museum of Thera, Santorini

The Archaeological Museum of Thera offers an overview of the island’s history from antiquity through the Roman period, drawing entirely on material uncovered in local excavations. Its permanent exhibition includes sculpture, inscriptions, pottery, and small finds dating from the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman eras, illustrating how Santorini was integrated into wider Greek and Mediterranean cultural networks.

Among the highlights are stone sculptures, as well as vases and clay figurines spanning from the Geometric to the Hellenistic periods. These objects reflect everyday life, religious practices, and funerary customs on the island. A notable geological exhibit, a large volcanic boulder, underscores the close relationship between local history and Santorini’s volcanic environment.

The museum was founded in 1902, making it one of the earliest archaeological museums established in Greece outside Athens. The current building dates from the 1960s, constructed after the earlier structure was destroyed during the 1956 earthquake. While smaller in scale than national collections in Athens, the museum’s significance lies in the local origin of its exhibits. Every major piece comes from Santorini itself, offering visitors a concentrated view of the island’s archaeological record in one place.

Notable objects on display include the Theran amphora with Geometric decoration, fragments of Archaic funerary kouroi, a Daedalic-style clay figurine, and an Attic black-figure kylix. Another significant highlight is the Kore of Thera, a nearly intact Archaic female statue standing 2.48 meters tall, dated to around 640 BCE. Executed in the early Daedalic style, the kore offers rare insight into large-scale sculptural production on the island during the early Archaic period.