Description of the attraction
The Archaeological Museum, which is located in the heart of Nicosia, is the oldest and largest museum in Cyprus. It contains all the most valuable archaeological finds that have been discovered on the island.
The institution was founded in 1882 during the British rule in Cyprus at the initiative of the inhabitants of the island. The reason that prompted the Cypriots to unite and petition for the establishment of the museum was several cases of illegal excavations, as a result of which the values found there were taken abroad. For example, about 35 thousand antiquities were sent to museums in Britain and the United States after excavations conducted by the American archaeologist Luigi Palma di Chesnola. In addition, a significant part of the items found were damaged during transportation.
The museum was created with the private funds of residents and initially did not even have its own premises. It was only in 1908 that the construction of the building began, where the museum collection is currently located.
At first, official excavations were carried out only by European (mainly British) scientists. It was then, in the period from 1880 to 1931, that the main part of the museum's exposition was collected. But after Cyprus gained independence in 1960, the activities of local archaeologists also intensified, who also made a lot of efforts to replenish the collection of this institution.
In total, the museum has 14 exhibition halls, where you can see ceramic, glass and stone products - statues and figurines, dishes and vases, tools, as well as coins and jewelry arranged in chronological order. These rooms are located around the main central area, which houses the support offices, library and laboratory.
