Museums in Cyprus

Kyrenia Museums

The Shipwreck Museum in Kyrenia Castle:
This museum houses an old trading ship, and her cargo, which sailed the Med during the times of Alexander the Great. It was raised from the bottom of the sea about a mile off the Kyrenia coast. It is kept in very cool conditions and is a good place to visit on a hot day.

Archangelos Church and Icon Museum:
Built in 1860 this Greek Orthodox church now serves as a museum where the icons from churches in Kyrenia are displayed.

Decorative Arts Museum:
Watercolours and paintings are displayed along with colonial and oriental items in a 1930’s villa.

Cypriot Folk Art Museum:
This is a small museum in an 18th century building on Kyrenia Harbour. It houses an olive press and many other agricultural items along with carved wooden chests, costumes and needlework.

Famagusta Museums

Namik Kemal Dungeon and Museum:
Namik Kemel was a distinguished poet and play write, “The Shakespeare” of Turkish literature, he was held in the dungeons from 1873 to 1876. The dungeons were built on the ruins of a Venetian palace during the Ottoman period. The museum tells of his life and his works.

Djanboulat’s Bastion and Museum:
This museum was named after The Ottoman Turkish General Djanboulat Bey of Kilis. It is a municipal museum which houses relics of battle, costumes and tools. There are many books including a priceless hand written Koran.

Agios Ioannis Church and Museum
This Greek Orthodox Church has been recently renovated and opened as an icon museum. There are more than 120 icons including those of Christ and St John which were painted in the 18th Century.

St Barnabus Monastery and Museum
St Barnabas is the most important Saint of Cyprus, he spread Christianity in the years following the death of Christ. The monastery has not been changed since 1976 when the last monks left and still houses the old pulpits and other artefacts including a wonderful collection of 18th century icons.

Güzelyurt Museums

Museum of Archeology & Natural History
This is a natural History museum housed in the old Palace of Morphou, the Bishop of Guzelyurt. It contains many geological samples along with birds, fish and mammals.

St Mamas Church and Icon Museum
This museum holds many historical artefacts including the sarcophagus of St Mamas. According to folklore this was washed ashore and discovered by a peasant in a local bay. The peasant was told in a vision to take the sarcophagus to the place where it now stands and build a monastery.

Nicosia Museums

Lapidary Museum
This museum contains stone work taken from ancient palaces and Gothic churches housed in a building which could be a Venetian house or possibly a renovated mediaeval building.

The Museum of Barbarism
This museum was the house of a Turkish major who was served in Cyprus in 1963. During the troubles, the house was attacked by brutal terrorists and the family were murdered after being found hiding in the bathroom.

Mevlevi Tekke (Museum of Whirling Dervishes)
The small museum is near the Kyrenia gate, not far from Ataturk square and is easily identified by its six domes.

Dervish Pasha Mansion (Ethnographical Museum)
This museum, a traditional Nicosian mansion, is one of Cyprus’ secret treasures. Here you will find the most wonderful collection of artefacts from the Ottoman era.