The museums in Rhodes Town and Old Town:
The Municipal Art Gallery of Rhodes Exhibition in the Palace of the Grand Master
The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
Aquarium / Hydrobiological Station
Modern Art Museum / Palaio Sissitio
The Jewish Museum
New Art Gallery / Nestoridion
Folklore Museum
Byzantine Museum
The museums in Rhodes Villages:
Archangelos Folklore Museum
Embonas Folklore Museum
Kritinia Folklore Museum
Asklipios Folklore Museum
Natural History Museum in Butterfly Valley
The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes is housed in the medieval building which served as the Hospital of the Knights of St. John. The structure was begun in 1440 by Grand Master de Lastic with money bequeathed by his predecessor, Fluvian, and was completed in 1489 by Grand Master d’Aubusson. The museum is a two-storey building, with a central courtyard, all four sides of which are lined with porticoes.
Interesting finds dating from all periods of the island’s history, discovered during archaeological excavations, are exhibited in the Garden and in the twenty rooms of the upper floor. In the garden the visitor can see sculptures and funerary steles of the Hellenistic period and the mosaic floors of the Hellenistic period from Rhodes town.
Various statues and fragments of funerary monuments are also on exhibit in the Museum atrium. An early Christian floor mosaic from Arkasa, Karpathos has been laid in the recess of the south side of the atrium and at the rear of the recess stands a reconstruction of a tombstone in front of a small temple, housing a trophy.
The Museum houses the following collections:Tomb groups from ancient Ialysos of the Geometric and Classical periods: vases, figurines, jewellery, metal objects. Tomb groups from ancient Kamiros of the Geometric and Classical periods: vases, small objects, figurines. A collection of Classical, Hellenistic and Roman sculpture. Funerary slabs from the period of the Knights with relief representations of the deceased or of their coats of arms.
A few of the most important exhibits in the Museum are:
• Fikellura Amphora of the Rhodian workshop, 6th c. BC. It has palmettes below the handles and depicts an animal on the front and back.
• Two Headless Archaic Kouroi from Kamiros. 550-530 BC
• Vroulian cup of the Rhodian workshop. 6th c. BC.
• Attic Black-figure Amphora showing a warrior’s departure. 6th c. BC.
• Grave stele of Krito and Timarista with two standing female figures. Timarista, fullface, in a chiton and peplos embraces Krito, who is dressed in a chiton and himation and has short hair. 420-410 BC.
• Grave stele of Kalliarista. It depicts the dead Kalliarista, seated, in a chiton and himation which covers her head. Her servant, standing, holds a pyxis with her cosmetics. The stele has a pediment capping resting on pilasters. Ca. 350 BC.
• Marble head of an athlete. 4th c. BC.
• Marble head of Helios. Fine example of Hellenistic baroque. 250-160 BC.
• Marble statue of a crouching Aphrodite. A remodelling of the Doidalsas type. Ca. 100 BC.
• Portrait copy, probably of the comic poet Menander.
• Aphrodite Pudica
The Museums of Modern Greek Art presents extensive painting and engraving collections as well as numerous sculptures, drawings and documents of historical value. The works of engraving and painting form a comprehensive collection of Greek art of the 20th century created by Greece’s most eminent artists.
Some of these works of art are considered to be of great significance and have been selected in order to illustrate the development of modern Greek art. The central idea of all these collections is to present the history of Greece through the eyes and the soul of Greek artists of the 20th century.The Museums of Modern Greek Art reflects the uniqueness and simultaneously the international character of Greece.
Three buildings comprise the Museums of Modern Greek Art in Rhodes.
– Municipal Art Gallery:
This historical building, located near the entrance of the Medieval Town in Symi Square, houses the collection of engravings and a portion of the permanent collection of sculpture. Known to the people of Rhodes as the “ Municipal art gallery” it also hosts many temporary exhibitions primarily of well-known Greek artists. Adress: Symi Square 2
– Modern Art Museum / Palaio Sissitio:
In 2000 the museum acquired the use of the “Palaio Syssitio” (Old Almshouse) building as an exhibition hall. It is situated in Socrates Street, the main thoroughfare in the Medieval Town. It houses the maps and engravings of Rhodes and other islands of the Dodecanese which were donated by Mrs. Zoe York. From time to time, the Modern Art Center organizes exhibitions of works of art created by contemporary artists. Adress: Socratous Str. 179
– New Art Gallery / Nestoridion:
In 2002 work was completed to convert a multi-story building, donated by Ioannis and Paola Nestoridis, into the newest addition to the Museum of Modern Greek Art. Since then, the permanent collection of paintings and sculpture is on exhibit there.
The Nestoridion is located in the picturesque Hundred Palms Square near the historic Grande Albergo delle Rose. It has a small open-air amphitheatre and a lecture hall. Educational programs, lectures and other events related to art are held there. Adress: Hundred Palms Sq., New City