AtCorfu Travel Blog

During the era of British rule, High Commissioner Sir Frederick Adams in 1819 decided to build a house for himself and his family.

Corfu history – Palace of Michael and George

Palace Michael and George

But he was a little exaggerated, and instead of a house, he created a unique palace in a Georgian style, the Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George in Corfu town.

The building was designed by the English engineer Colonel Sir George Whitmore (1775-1862), and despite its enormous size, it is elegant and beautiful. It has been described as the best example of Regency architecture outside Britain.

It is the largest palace in Greece, second only to the palace of King Otto in Athens,  which today houses the Greek parliament.

The large line of Doric columns has two gates, the Gate of St. Michael and the Gate of St. George.

In the garden is the statue of Commissioner Frederick Adams made by Corfiot sculptor Pavlos Prosalendis.

Outside, it has carved representations of the Ionian Islands and two rows of Ionic columns surrounding the main hall, showing scenes from the Odyssey.

The first floor is decorated with Corinthian columns.

There are three main halls: the ballroom, the throne room, and the symposium room.

The palace previously housed the Ionian Senate and is the home of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

For half of the century, it was also the summer residence of the former Greek royal family. Today, it has been refurbished as a museum displaying classical antiquities.

A meeting of the summit of the European Union was held here in 1994.

The building looks over the north side of Spianada Square on Iroon Politechniou street and also houses the Asian Art Museum and the Municipal Gallery.

Due to the rich historical and cultural heritage, the museums in Corfu are numerous and offer a wide variety of exhibits from Neolithic times to the present. There are also cultural museums dedicated to the rich intellectual life of the Ionian Islands; a bright example is the Corfu Reading Society.

There are also scattered museums throughout Corfu town and Corfu island, not just in the city; in fact, two of the most important, such as the Achilleion palace and the shell museum, are near and within Benitses village.

Also, there are two folklore museums in the villages of Sinarades and Acharavi, an olive museum in Kynopiastes, the museum in honor of Kapodistrias at Evropouloi, and the museum of traditional Corfiot and Greek costumes in Pelekas.

Museums and Art exhibitions in Corfu

1) Corfu Archaeological Museum

Corfu Archaeological Museum is located in Garitsa near the seaside boulevard in the street of Armeni Braila 1.

Built in the 60s under the standards followed then for buildings intended to be Museums, and started its operation in September of 1967.

It is the largest of Corfu’s museums, a two-floor building with a courtyard garden and a balcony on the south and east sides of the first floor.

The vast bulk of the exhibits is located on the first floor, which comprises four rooms and a hallway.

The largest western hall, along with other artifacts from ancient temples of Paleopolis, is the pediment of the Temple of Artemis in 580 b.c, with gigantic dimensions, 17 meters wide and 3 meters high, and its central theme is the mythical monstrous Gorgon.

Major exhibits are the archaic funerary lion of Menekratis (late 7th-century bc) found in the circular cenotaph of Menekratis, the left side of an archaic pediment (the pediment of Dionysus 500 BC) with dimensions of 2.73 meters long and about 1 meter in height that was found in Figareto and depicts of a Dionysiac banquet scene, the bronze statuette of a young “komastos” (570 BC) who runs and on his left hand holds a “rhyton”, the head of a kouros of 6th-century b.c which was found in excavations of Paleopolis in Mon Repos, a clay statuette of Artemis (490 BC) found in Kanoni, the kouros of Corfu (530 BC) from Parian marble headstone and the Arniada (630-600 BC) found in the ancient cemetery near Garitsa.

In the museum, there are finds of Palaeolithic and Early Bronze Age as well as recent articles of the Hellenistic and Roman period.

If someone wants to visit both the Museum, the Old Fortress, the Temple of Antivouniotissa, and the Asian Art Museum can purchase a ticket for all for 8 €, ie, minus 4 €

The Museum is located at Armeni Braila 1 street,t and the phone is: 26610 30680

2) Museum of Asian Art

A museum dedicated to Asian art is housed in the Palace of St. Michael and St. George.

Hosts the rich collection of Corfiot diplomat Grigorios Manos, consisting of 10,000 objects, the collection of the former ambassador Nikos Chatzivasileiou, with approximately 200 objects, and some smaller collections of diplomats Nikos Sinioglou and Pavlos Almanachos.

Among the exhibits are:

• Bronze vases of China from the time of the Chinese entry into historical times,
• The pottery of the Cheo era,
• Figurines since the Han dynasty,
• Pottery tomb figurines from the time of the Tang Dynasty,
• A bronze statue of Buddha from the Sung dynasty,
• Small statues, vases, and jars from the golden era of the Ming Dynasty,
• Several miniatures from semi-precious stones, arms, and armor of samurai divisions,
• Drama masks of theater No,
• Indian wooden objects with love scenes, etc.

3) Byzantine Museum of Corfu

The Byzantine museum is housed in the church of Panagia Antivouniotissa in Kampielo at Mouragia and includes sculptures of Christian architecture, parts of mosaic floors, frescoes, and Byzantine icons from the 16th to the 18th century from various churches on the island.

4) Museum of Banknotes

Museum of Banknotes is a unique museum that has been operating since 1981 and is housed in the Neoclassical building of the Ionian Bank in the Square of Heroes, known as the Plakada of Saint Spiridon. It was the first-ever Greek bank in 1839, when Corfu and the other Ionian Islands were still part of the Ionian state.

Along with the exhibits, it shows the history and method of production.

This is the only museum of its kind operating in Greece and one of the few in the world. It contains a remarkable collection of rare coins, die print photos, and artwork.

Remarkably, it shows all stages of production notes, starting from the initial design and production of paper, as well as the way of destruction at old kilns.

Among the exhibits are the notes issued by the Ionian Bank from 1839 until 1920.

Also, the first notes that were released in liberated Greece in 1831, during the government of Ioannis Kapodistrias, and the first notes released by the National Bank of Greece in 1840.

It is worth seeing the collected notes from the post-war period from various countries, as well as the Chinese note dating back to 1300, which is one of the oldest surviving in the world.

The phone number of the Museum is: 26610 41552

5) Mon Repos, the Museum

A Palace built by the British Commissioner Sir Frederick Adam in 1830, when the island was under British rule, was built within the boundaries of the ancient city of Corfu, before the excavations which unearthed the ruins of the ancient city.

Once was the summer villa of the former Greek royal family and birthplace for Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Today, it houses the museum of Paleopolis, which was ancient Corfu.

Exhibits are archaeological findings from the first antiquities found during the British rule and findings from the excavations between 1936 and 1955, which revealed parts of the ancient Agora and the early Christian basilica.

Also, Byzantine artifacts, furniture, and dresses from the period of British rule, paintings, and other memorabilia from the history of Corfu.

The ruins of Paleopolis, the Roman baths, the dockyards of the port of Alkinoos, and a large section of the cobbled Market that came to light recently, are nearby.

In the halls of Mon Repos, today events are organized by the Municipality of Corfu as well as in special formal settings.

6) Solomos Museum

The home of our National poet Dionisios Solomos in the third end of Arseniou street at Mouragia has been turned into a museum, it is the place where the Poet lived for 30 years and inspired his poems.

It presents furniture, personal items, photographs, and historical material from his life.

7) The music museum of Nikolaos Mantzaros

A unique museum of its kind in Greece, in honor of Nicholaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros.

The museum displays the history of the Corfu Philharmonic Society, founded in 1840, whose first director was the composer Nicholaos Mantzaros.
The exhibits are, of course, old musical instruments, photographs, sheet music, rare first recordings, and many others related to the composer’s work.

For the uninitiated, Nicholaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros (1795-1872) was the composer of the Greek national anthem and the composer of the Olympic anthem.

The museum is located in the heart of the old town of Corfu, on the first floor of the building of the Philharmonic Society at Street of Nikiforos Theotokis 10.

8) Museum of Ioannis Kapodistrias

A museum in honor of the first governor of Greece and a native of Corfu, Ioannis Kapodistrias, was missing from Corfu.

This large gap was filled in 1981 with the establishment of the Centre of Kapodistrian Studies – Museum of Kapodistrias.

The museum is located near the village of Evropouli, 3 km from Corfu town, in a place called Koukouritsa, housed in an estate owned by the Kapodistrias family and donated by a descendant of Kapodistrias and former mayor of Corfu from 1956 to 1959, Mary Desylla-Kapodistrias.

The exhibits are the governor’s personal belongings, furnishings of that period, and other personal things.

The address is the Centre of Kapodistrian Studies, PO Box 49100 Eyropouloi – Corfu.

Phones are: +30 26610 39528 and +30 26610 32440

9) Municipal library

It contains some of the greatest works of painters from the Eptanese of the 19th century, as well as engravings and sculptures.

The municipal library, originally housed in a building of Dalietos’ legacies, is today housed in the Palace of Saints Michael and George.

10) Corfu Reading Society

Founded in 1836 at the time of English domination, and now housed in a building of the 19th century opposite and behind the Palace of St. Michael and St. George at Kapodistriou Street number 120 in Mouragia.

Corfu reading society is the oldest spiritual institution in modern Greece and prominent members of it were the most famous Personalities of culture, art and politics of Ionian isles, personalities as the Bishop of the Union Athanasios Politis, Angelos Kogevinas, Viaros, and Augustinos Capodistrias, the National poet Dionysios Solomos, the poets Andreas Kalvos and G. Markoras, politician George Theotokis, Iakovos Polylas, Spyros Samaras the composer of the Olympic anthem, Nicholas Tomazaios, Nicholas Mantzaros composer of our national anthem, Lorenzo Mavilis Secretary of the Company until his heroic death in Driskos, Angelos Giallinas, Dinos Theotokis, the Bishop of Corfu and later Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and many others.

It has more than 10,000 volumes of Ionian literature as well as a rich general library.

Very often, presentations of paint collections and prints happen, as well as old maps, photographs, magazines, and newspapers are also presented.
It is rich in active art exhibitions and maintains cooperation at a scientific level with Greek and foreign universities.

In its rooms, conferences, lectures, seminars, and musical events.

It is open to visitors every day except Sundays from 9:00 in the morning until 2.00 pm.
Telephone number is: 26610 44165

11) Serbian Museum

19 Moustoxydou Street, with exhibits of the Serbian army, such as photographs, uniforms, arms and ammunition, Serbian regimental flags, religious artifacts, surgical tools, and other decorations.

The remnants of the Serbian Army of about 150,000 soldiers, together with their government, were in exile for three years in Corfu, where they found refuge and shelter, following the collapse of the Serbian Front as a result of the Austro-Hungarian attack of 6 October 1915.

12) Serbian War memorial on Vido Island

Mausoleum in honor of the 150,000 Serbian soldiers who came with their government to Corfu in 1915 after the collapse of the front, where the graves of those who died are.

Museums in the villages of Corfu

1) Museum in Achilleion

The Achillion Palace was built in 1890 by Queen Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary, now a museum and historical site.

The exhibits are particularly beautiful sculptures of mythical Achilles and ancient philosophers, heroes, and mythical ancient gods, ordered by the queen from different sculptors of the 20th century, and the unique, crafted paintings of the best artists of the time.

Along with the features are the 12-meter-high statue of Achilles in the gardens of Achilleion, the famous statue of the dying Achilles, which is an artwork by German sculptor Ernst Gustav Herter.

The depiction of Achilles injured trying to remove the arrow from his heel, and the panel painting by Austrian artist Franz Matsch, the famous triumph of Achilles, depicts the hero dragging the dead body of Hector outside the walls of Troy with his chariot.

The Achilleion museum is located on top of the hill, the highest point of the village of Gastouri, and attracts hundreds of tourists daily.

For more information about the exhibits, opening hours, and ticket prices, read here.

2) Corfu Shell Museum

The Corfu Shell Museum in Benitses doesn’t exist anymore.

Update 23-5-2020

We are sorry to announce that the owner and collector, Mr. Sagias, passed away a couple of years ago, in 2018, and his relatives couldn’t keep the museum open, so the Sea Museum is permanently closed and all its exhibitions have been sold.

Find more info on this page

3) Folklore Museum in Acharavi

This folklore museum is housed in two rooms of a building situated just opposite the ancient Roman baths in the seaside village of Acharavi in the center of northern Corfu.

In the museum, there is an interesting collection of folklore items mainly from the region of northern Corfu, objects mainly household as furniture, a loom, a traditional mill for kitchen utensils and agricultural tools of past centuries, a watermill, church supplies, and other items showing the historical evolution of Corfu since then.

certainly exhibited are old photographs, books, and manuscripts, with the oldest dating back to 1862.

Important exhibits also include coins from the period of the Ionian State (1799-1864)

4) Museum of Folk costumes in Pelekas

In the mountain village of Pelekas, there is an important private collection of traditional costumes, mainly from the 19th century.

The costumes come from both Corfu and the rest of Greece; the collection is private and is housed in the home of the owner.

It offers visitors a great opportunity to admire the art and the details in the construction of local costumes in almost all parts of Greece, both on the mainland and in the island country.

In the museum also there is also a small section dedicated to the musical heritage of Corfu

5) The Olive Museum in Kinopiastes

Located in the traditional village of Kynopiastes, a village in the middle of Corfu, close enough to the city.

It is relatively new and, as shown by its name, is intended to keep the memories about the old oil mills alive throughout Corfu, presenting a well-maintained traditional oil mill, such as other traditional objects of rural life in the villages of Corfu of the past centuries