The Alonissos Museum, founded in 2000 by Kostas and Angela Mavrikis, is the largest privately owned museum on any Greek island. In this four-storey building, Kostas and Angela display the cultural inheritance of the island. In addition to historical items from Alonissos, the museum focuses on weapons and objects used in the early days by the pirates of the Aegean Sea.

Alonissos at work



In the basement of the Museum dioramas of early island life complete with traditional costumes, folklore objects and former professions are shown.



Equipment for the pressing of olives and making of wine as well as workshops from the blacksmith, the tanner, the barber, the baker, the cooper, the carpenter and the farmer are on display.



Basically, the visitor gets an idea of how life on Alonissos was before the terrible earthquake of 1965 tore down most of the buildings.

Warfare throughout the years



The first floor above the reception area houses the conference room, the pirate artefact area and the room with  memorabilia of the National Resistance from each of the wars since 1821. This room specially tributes all those young Alonissos men who lost their lives in battles on the mainland and at the Albanian border.

Pirates of the Aegean



From the earliest times the Aegean has known the activities and horrors of piracy.  Ancient Greek Mythology and ancient authors too, often mention pirates and their operations. Apart from pirate attacks on ships there were also pirate raids on coastal towns, which is why the Greek coasts of the Aegean are full of ruined castles and towers built by the locals for their protection.



Over the years the people of the Aegean gradually began to arm their ships and to learn to repel pirate attacks. One might say that with all the experience the Aegeans had acquired from living for years under the incessant threat of piratical attacks, the Greek islanders and sailors succeeded in making history by their brilliant achievements in the War of Independence of 1821.



In the Pirate Artefact room of the Museum, with authentic pirate treasures, you'll find a unique, educational and entertaining collection of weapons and objects used in the early days by and against the pirates of the Aegean Sea. In this way sea-robbers come alive in the Alonissos Museum.



Art



All over the museum marble sculptures and paintings are shown from islanders as well as from foreign artists who visited or lived on the island or still live there.