Opening hours
Monday–Saturday
Winter (16 Sep–30 Apr) 9:00–15:30
Summer (1 May–15 Sep) 9:00–17:00
Sunday: events only
Tickets
10€ · reduced 6€
Private guided tour included
Where
Rigas Feraios Square 9, Heraklion
Opposite Agios Minas cathedral
What you will see and play
- Cretan lyra: the bowed instrument at the heart of Cretan music.
- Laouto: the long-necked lute that accompanies the lyra.
- Mandolin: much loved in Crete, with its own local style.
- Oud and santouri: the voices of the eastern Mediterranean.
- Drums and percussion: the easiest way for children to join in.
- Wind instruments from Crete and across Greece.
Lyra or lyre?
The lyre of ancient Greek myth, the instrument of Apollo, was plucked. The Cretan lyra shares the name but is played with a bow, like a small upright fiddle. Your guide explains how the instruments of Crete developed and how they are made by hand today.
Handmade instruments
Experienced Cretan luthiers make lyras, laoutos and mandolins to order through the museum. Instrument making · Cretan music.