Regular readers know that I am a "museum junkie" and that I also have a somewhat more understandable passion for the islands of Greece. Imagine my delight that these two loves combine so wonderfully well.

Greek Island Outposts of Culture

The Greeks are rightly proud of their magnificent culture, and nearly every island has a museum of some sort. Some of these are tiny collections of folk art, others are bold assemblages of major artifacts found on their shores and kept back from the main stronghold, The National Archeological Museum of Athens, the flagship museum which used to be the primary depository for finds from all of the sites throughout Greece. Now, most excavations share their discoveries between the local museums as well as the excellent Athenian storehouse.

Archaeological Museums

Every island will have at least one little museum that is a treasure in itself. Seek them out. The ones titled "The Archeological Museum of (island)" will generally be the best curated and most "official", but take the time to find the others. "Folk Museums" are the best places to find mementoes from the everyday life of the inhabitants, and are usually the home of fine handcrafts.

My favorite island museums include those of Mykonos and Delos. The jet-set, rock-star, beautiful-people island combines with other "rock" stars - namely, the extensive and compelling ruins located on the adjacent sacred Archeological Island of Delos, accompanied by a fine on-site museum showing some of the statues recovered from the various temples, public buildings, and private homes, whose remains are just outside. But museum madness in the Mykonos area doesn't stop there. Don't miss the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, located in a red-roofed building on the harbor and containing a marvelous selction of ancient Greek pottery, especially wares from the surrounding Cycladic islands. There's also an immense figured vase excavated on Mykonos itself.

But wait, there's more. You must also visit the charming little Agricultural Museum housed in one of the landmark Mykonos windmills. And since this is Mykonos, where everything is a pelican-wing-flap away from everything else, these oases of culture can be easily fit in between shopping, taverna-trekking, or sunbathing. Do check out the Mykonos Museum of Popular Art.

The Museums of Crete[/h3} Crete, strictly speaking, is an island nation unto itself. Because of its relative vastness and distinct ancient and modern cultures, it is often not considered to be really one of the Greek islands. But island it is, albeit a big one, and it has a magnificent museum to match it. The Iraklion Museum (also spelled Heraclio, Heraclion, among other variations) contains the best of Cretan culture and has roomfuls of Minoan artifacts, along with some fine Roman statuary from the city of Gortyn.

The Archanes Folk Museum just south of Knossos is a truly don't-miss collection of local Cretan crafts, costumes and history in a beautiful location overlooking a rich valley. It can easily be combined with a visit to the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum and/or a visit to the Boutari Winery tasting room, both just a short drive away.

Agios Nikolaos in eastern Crete has an excellent Archaeological Museum with many local finds. The Archaeological Museum in Sitia is also well worth a visit. And the very well curated archaeological site of the ancient Minoan palace of Mallia along the northern coast also "counts" as a museum.

In many of the towns and villages of Crete, there will also be a Municipal Museum, and most of these are well worth the time, particularly when you've absorbed enough Aegean sunlight and shopped for far too many souvenirs. Be aware, also, that many of these museums have special postcards that are not sold anywhere else, and these can be a delightful change from the ones you see every morning on the rotating wire racks of the tourist shops.