Ayia Napa's Marine and History Museum
The Thalassa Museum in Ayia Napa is located a few minutes walk from the town centre and also from the harbour. It is operated by the Pierides Foundation, in association with the Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition and the Tornaritis-Pierides Marine Life Foundation. It opened in 2005 and gives visitors a huge insight into local culture of Ayia Napa and the wider area of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The main focus of the museum is the sea and it's impact on the history and traditions od the island of Cyprus. The exhibits of the museum cover a wide chronological span, from paleontological and prehistoric periods up to present times.
The museum is a three story building made by marble, onyx, wood, metal and has an appealing, open aspect making it easy to enjoy the exhibits. The museum takes advantage of the multi level building with the ability to see exhibits face on, a birds-eye view and from below. Exhibits are well lit with fibre optics and including basement levels there are 6 floors altogether.
Discover the history of Cyprus with artifacts covering 8000 years of local history. There are short film and audio visual displays on the first level followed by a 2nd and 3rd level containing culturally important artifacts from the Neolithic period to the Venetian rule (6000BC to 1570AD)
The main exhibit on the fourth level and the most important in the whole museum is the ‘Kyrenia II’ vessel. A life size exact replica of the ancient ship of Kyrenia dating from the Classical period (400 B.C.). The replica vessel was which was built in 1985 for scientific experimental purposes by the Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition of Athens. The ‘Kyrenia II’ was exhibited in several cities in Greece and also worldwide in New York, Japan’s Nara, Seville and Hamburg. On this floor you can view the shipwreck from all angles including above and there is also a short film about the excavations of the original ship.
The fifth level of the museum contains paleontological exhibits of the Tornaritis-Pierides Marine Life Foundation, which include fossilised sealife, shells, corals, ammonites and trilobites of the late Cretaceous period (130 to 65 million years).
The Marine Life section is located in a semi-basement level and shows native marine fauna of the Eastern Mediterranean. The exhibits include shells, barnacles, corals, sea-urchins, starfish, crabs, lobsters, sponges, sea fans, marine plants and others found in various parts of the island. It also contains stuffed fish, mammals and sea turtles and an important collection of sea and lake birds in their natural habitat. (All exhibits were collected after their natural death)
The main focus of the museum is the sea and it's impact on the history and traditions od the island of Cyprus. The exhibits of the museum cover a wide chronological span, from paleontological and prehistoric periods up to present times.
The museum is a three story building made by marble, onyx, wood, metal and has an appealing, open aspect making it easy to enjoy the exhibits. The museum takes advantage of the multi level building with the ability to see exhibits face on, a birds-eye view and from below. Exhibits are well lit with fibre optics and including basement levels there are 6 floors altogether.
Discover the history of Cyprus with artifacts covering 8000 years of local history. There are short film and audio visual displays on the first level followed by a 2nd and 3rd level containing culturally important artifacts from the Neolithic period to the Venetian rule (6000BC to 1570AD)
The main exhibit on the fourth level and the most important in the whole museum is the ‘Kyrenia II’ vessel. A life size exact replica of the ancient ship of Kyrenia dating from the Classical period (400 B.C.). The replica vessel was which was built in 1985 for scientific experimental purposes by the Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition of Athens. The ‘Kyrenia II’ was exhibited in several cities in Greece and also worldwide in New York, Japan’s Nara, Seville and Hamburg. On this floor you can view the shipwreck from all angles including above and there is also a short film about the excavations of the original ship.
The fifth level of the museum contains paleontological exhibits of the Tornaritis-Pierides Marine Life Foundation, which include fossilised sealife, shells, corals, ammonites and trilobites of the late Cretaceous period (130 to 65 million years).
The Marine Life section is located in a semi-basement level and shows native marine fauna of the Eastern Mediterranean. The exhibits include shells, barnacles, corals, sea-urchins, starfish, crabs, lobsters, sponges, sea fans, marine plants and others found in various parts of the island. It also contains stuffed fish, mammals and sea turtles and an important collection of sea and lake birds in their natural habitat. (All exhibits were collected after their natural death)
