Museums preserve a fragment of the nation’s rich history. It collects the important documents, artifacts and specimens that played a significant role in the development of an institution or nation. Museums provide for an insight to the future world of what existed before. The Island of Rhodes features such rich and interesting history. It has been incorporated to various empire, governments and regimes. Catastrophic, as well as joyous events happened in the island.

We are provided a glimpse of Rhodes’ history through the plethora of museums and galleries established in the area. The most visited museum in Rhodes would probably be the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. This museum is housed in the medieval building of the Hospital of the Knights. It features the archaeological artifacts of the various period-Classical, Hellenistic and Roman; tombs, vases, ceramic objects, sarcophaguses, and statutes. The most interesting item in the Archaeological Museum is the Venus of Rhodes.

The Municipal Gallery of Rhodes features the collection of Modern Greek Paintings. It displays the works of K. Maleas, G. Bouzianis, F. Kontoglou, Theofilos, S. Vasiliou, N. Hadzikyriakos- Gikas, Spyropoulos and many others. The Municipal Art Gallery is located in the Medieval Gallery on Symis Square.

The Museum of Popular Art of Rhodes is located at the Argyrokastrou Square, a few meters distance from the Municipal Art Gallery. The museum features beautiful ceramics, rugs, carpets, carved wooden partitions, as well as needlework, and utensils.

The Palace of the Grand Master is a “kastello” built during the middle ages. It features a unique exhibition called “Rhodes 2400 years”. The exhibition occupies around twelve of the rooms in the palace. Various artifacts are displayed in the exhibition to commemorate the 2400 history of Rhodes.

There is also the Byzantine Art Museum, at the church of the Panayia tou Kastrou (Virgin of the Castle). The museum features interior wall-paintings of Knights, Virgin and saints. St. Lucia is the most preserved on the paintings of saints on the wall. There are also various Byzantine and post-Byzantine paintings featured on the museum. Such works of art dates back from Early Christina period to the period of the Knights.

It can be said that museums provide only a fragment of what had been. Nonetheless, through the museums of Rhodes are able to admire, understand and appreciate better this beautiful island.