The Mineral Museum in Perissa, Santorini was founded in 2006 by the Thera Cultural Society. The museum showcases minerals and fossils from Santorini and other parts of Greece, as well as from abroad. The museum is located in the popular tourist town of Perissa, near the beach, close to the Church of the Holy Cross and the ruins of the Early Christian Basilica of St Irene, which probably gave the island its name.
What will you find in the museum?
The museum collects various types of minerals and fossils, which will fascinate not only those interested in geology. In this interesting, small museum, fossils and minerals dating back 1.5 billion to 50,000 years have been collected. The most interesting exhibits in this facility are:
- an olive branch more than 2 metres long, pulled out of the pumice wall in 2007 (it had probably been there since the Minoan eruption),
- Plant fossils from the Santorini caldera from 50,000-60,000 years ago,
- a rare collection of geological rocks,
- fossil from 1.5 billion years ago, which is the oldest in the museum and one of the oldest in the world.
Practical information
The Mineral Museum in Perissa, Santorini, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In winter the museum is only open on Sunday morning. Before going to this museum it is advisable to call in advance and make sure of the opening hours.
