Opening hours
Monday–Saturday
Winter (16 Sep–30 Apr) 9:00–15:30
Summer (1 May–15 Sep) 9:00–17:00
Tickets
10€ · reduced 6€
Private guided tour included
Time needed
About one hour
Where
Rigas Feraios Square 9, Heraklion
Get directions
Why it belongs on your Heraklion list
In most museums you look at things behind glass. At Thirathen you listen to the instruments, hold them and try them yourself. Every visit is a private tour with a musician, in English or Greek, shaped around you.
- Cretan lyra, laouto, mandolin, oud, drums and wind instruments from Crete and the Mediterranean, on two floors.
- Heraklion with kids: children play the percussion and hear every instrument up close.
- Rainy day in Heraklion, or a break from the heat: an indoor visit right in the centre.
- Live Cretan music: concerts every Wednesday at 21:00 and events on Sundays.
A morning in Heraklion old town
The museum is on Rigas Feraios Square, opposite Agios Minas cathedral. It fits easily into a walk around the main sights of Heraklion, all on foot:
- Agios Minas cathedral, right across the square.
- Lions Square with the Morosini Fountain, and the 1866 street market.
- The Heraklion Archaeological Museum and the Venetian harbour with Koules fortress.
Tip: start with us at 9:00, before the heat and the crowds, then walk on to Lions Square and the harbour. Knossos is a short drive south of the city.
Cretan music
The lyra and the laouto
Meet the instruments behind the sound of Crete, and the people who make and play them.
Groups
Schools and groups
Educational visits for schools and tailored tours for groups.
Before you come
Digital guide
Preview every display case on your phone, in English, German, French, Italian or Greek.
Good to know
Do I need to book?
Not for small groups: just come in during opening hours. Groups of more than 10 people, please book ahead.
Is the museum open on Sundays?
On Sundays the museum opens only for events and concerts.
Is it good for young children?
Yes. The tour adapts to their age, and children get to try instruments, especially the drums.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The ground floor is. The first floor is reached only by an outdoor staircase; tell us before you come and we will adapt the tour.