| The museum that houses the masterpieces of | | | | that developed on the island in early 3rd millennium |
| prehistoric Thira was inaugurated with great | | | | BC and ended with the catastrophic earthquake |
| fanfare in the summer of 2000 at Fira. | | | | of 17th c. BC. After the devastation of the |
| The 600 square meter second floor displays finds | | | | largest settlement on the island in the area of |
| dating from the late Neolithic period (5th millennium | | | | present-day Megalohori, the inhabitants relocated |
| BC) to the 1 7th c. BC from Akrotiri and other | | | | to Akrotiri. |
| ancient sites on the island. The exhibits are | | | | Among the exhibits in this unit are beaked and |
| organized into four units according to | | | | bird-shaped jugs, marble beakers, small craters, |
| state-of-the-art museological methodology. | | | | bronze axes, and marble idols. |
| The first unit, titled "The discovery of an | | | | The fourth unit occupies most of the museum, |
| archeological site" informs visitors about the | | | | and boasts superb examples of the flourishing |
| excavations at Akrotiri. It also presents the | | | | period of Akrotiri. |
| theory of Greek archeologist Spyridon Marinates | | | | A special place is reserved for the frescoes, |
| that the eruption of the Santorini volcano was | | | | which up until a few years ago were exhibited in |
| what caused the collapse of Minoan civilization on | | | | the National Archeological Museum of Athens. |
| Crete. | | | | Prominently displayed is the one of-a-kind small |
| The second, smaller unit on the geology of Thira | | | | gold statuette of a wild goat. The sculpture was |
| documents with detailed maps and charts the | | | | discovered inside a clay urn, in 1999, during the |
| volcanic activity that gradually formed what is | | | | preparations to install the new, innovative shelter |
| now Thira, Thirasia, Palaia Kameni and Nea | | | | that will cover most of the Akrotiri settlement. |
| Kameni. Moreover, the fossils displayed in this unit | | | | This unit also contains a rich ceramics collection, |
| are evidence of the fact that the Mediterranean | | | | including pithoi, prochoi, beakers, rhytons, askoi |
| climate 50,000 years ago was not much different | | | | and small amphorae with decorations exemplifying |
| from what it is today. | | | | every phase of Cycladic Pottery. |
| Of particular interest are the rocks containing | | | | There is also a plaster cast of a carved wood |
| fossils of olive, hemp and palm leaves, and the | | | | table, clay and stone seals, an altar with a scene |
| fossilized remains of an olive pest and other | | | | of dolphins, a collection of gold jewelry with |
| insects. | | | | semiprecious stones, and fresco fragments. |
| The third unit includes examples of the civilization | | | | |