Aya Napa - Home Travel Information Restaurants Activities Beaches Holidays Photo Gallery Nightlife

 

Ayia Napa Museums 

 

Tornaritis-Pierides Museum 

The Tornaritis-Pierides Museum was founded in June of 1992, and is located on the lower level of the Ayia Napa town hall.  The Pierides Museum of Marine Life is supported by the Hellenic Bank of Cyprus and is the first of its kind on the island.  The main purpose of the museum is to show to the locals and visitors the marine life that exists below the surface of Cyprus and in the Mediterranean.  The museum also enforces the idea of preserving the marine environment.   
The exhibits of the museum include: 

There is also a souvenir shop located in the museum that sells minerals, key rings, coffee cups, post cards, books, and fossils.  The museum also wants to make sure that visitors know that the exhibits within the museum were collected after they died.  There was not a single organism removed from its natural environment.  The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 until 14:00, as well as Saturday from 9:00 until 13:00.  They are closed on Sundays.  The entrance fee is fairly cheap, with adult entrance for £1.00 and children for £0.50.  

Thalassa Museum 

The Thalassa Museum is also directed by the Pierides Foundation, and is in association with the Tornaritis-Pierides Marine Life Foundation.  The museum opened in August of 2005 and provides a look into the local sea culture of Ayia Napa.  It is the first museum in the Mediterranean region that presents to the audience the impact of the sea history upon the island.  The exhibits cover a span from ontological to prehistoric periods and present times.   
The museum is a three story building made by wood, marble, onyx, and metal that offers unique experiences to appeal to our senses.  There are six levels of exhibits, each presented with four different methods of showcase.  The first is underground, where the visitors can walk and view the objects from the top or in modern cases.  Other exhibits across the museum are hanging from the roof.  All of the exhibits are spotlighted with special fibre optics.  
You can dine in the cafeteria, shop in the gift shop, or listen to special presentations in the open air amphitheatre. The summer season starts on June 1st and ends on September 30th, followed by the winter season from October 1st, until May 31st.  Admission fees are £1.50 per person.  The museum is located at 14, Kryou Nerou in Ayia Napa, and you can contact the museum on the telephone number: 00357-23816366. 

Folk Art Museum

Located in Avgorou 
While this museum is not in Ayia Napa, it is close by enough for you to visit in a short amount of time.  The Folk Art Museum in Avgorou was first founded on October 25th of 2002.  The museum helps to preserve the heritage of the area, and hosts various cultural items that have been donated from Avgorou residents.  This collection includes 19th century furniture, embroideries from the 18th century, as well as silverware, paintings and pottery.  The museum is open Thursday through Saturday, from 8:30 until 14:00, Tuesday from 15:00 until 17:00 and Sunday from 10:00 until 13:00.