Plans are underway for the New Archaeological Museum in Archanes, Crete, as part of a Cultural Development Program Agreement between the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Archanes-Asterousia, and the Technical University of Crete, with a budget of €730,000. The purpose of the Programmatic Agreement is to carry out a research program for the evaluation, redesign, and reconstruction of the existing building, the old wine bottling plant, which will house the Museum.

The property of the old bottling plant, covering an area of 8,247 square meters, has been granted to the Ministry of Culture by the Municipality of Archanes-Asterousia. It forms part of the facilities of the former Archanes Agricultural Cooperative, within the boundaries of the declared traditional part of the settlement. The property includes a significant number of buildings and facilities that were constructed gradually from the 1960s to the early 1980s, which were necessary for the then production and processing needs of the once powerful Cooperative for the production of wine, table grapes, and raisins, such as a winery, packaging plant, warehouses, tanks, offices, etc.

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, stated: “The creation of the Archaeological Museum in Archanes is an innovative project, an important project for the promotion and highlighting of the region’s significant archaeological wealth. The archaeological treasures of Archanes are currently on display in the settlement’s primary school building. This small archaeological collection was created in 1993 and includes artifacts and exhibits from the Minoan and post-Minoan periods in Archanes.The establishment of an Archaeological Museum in Archanes was deemed necessary due to the enormous wealth of finds uncovered during excavations of archaeological sites in the wider area. As part of our policy of utilizing existing building shells and in collaboration with the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Archanes-Asterousia, and under the scientific supervision of the Technical University of Crete, we are converting an iconic industrial building of the former Agricultural Cooperative into a modern museum, worthy of the historical and archaeological significance of Archanes. Along with showcasing unique archaeological finds, the museum will boost research, education, and cultural tourism, while also helping to revitalize the local community. The Ministry of Culture continues to invest consistently in projects that unite the past with the present and create new development prospects for the future. I would like to express my special thanks to the Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, the Mayor, Manolis Kokosalis, and the scientific team of the Technical University of Crete, led by Professor Panos Parthenios, for their excellent and effective cooperation.

Based on the approved building plan, the Archaeological Museum of Archanes covers an area of 6,330 square meters and consists of a permanent exhibition area of 900 square meters, a temporary exhibition hall, multimedia and educational application and conference rooms, workshop spaces, storage areas for antiquities from the Heraklion Prefecture and for the conservation of antiquities, public service areas (shop, refreshment area, WC and WC for people with disabilities, staff areas). The new building will feature modern accessibility and energy efficiency infrastructure.