Natural History Museum of Crete — Attraction in Municipality of Heraklion

We had high hopes after seeing reviews that this was as good as the natural history museum in london - boy were they wrong. We arrived, paid and were told that the entire bottom floor was closed for refurbishment, including the earthquake simulator! This was something we were looking forward to but still went round with an open mind for the rest - as we went round we found more and more things that were awaiting refurbishment, empty animal cages, etc.

The way live animals are kept is extremely inhumane, with one gerbil living in a tiny cage with no cage mate, no clean water and small pellet foods, and nearly 10 turtles in an enclosure fit for no more than 5. All the animals looked very depressed, the conditions these animals are kept in should be something investigated as this really ruined the trip.

To top it off, we went to see the dinosaurs, but the doors were 3/4 way shut with 6/7 staff members sat and stood next to the doors outside talking, meaning we didn’t know whether we were allowed out there or not.

This was by far the worst and most disappointing activity on our trip, we spent a maximum of 30 minutes in total inside before leaving. We paid €5 each as we are students and I wouldn’t even say it was worth that. Avoid like the plague, or at least until it is no longer in...

Unfortunately, this was the first time I’ve ever left a museum feeling genuinely upset. The live animals—mostly reptiles and small mammals—were kept in extremely small and uncomfortable enclosures. They appeared neglected, with dirty water and poorly maintained, artificial habitats. The atmosphere was one of sadness and disregard for animal welfare. It’s hard to believe that in 2025, we’re still seeing live animals kept on display in museums, especially under such inadequate conditions. It felt outdated, unethical, and completely at odds with modern standards of conservation and education. To make matters worse, we were charged the full admission price, even though an entire floor of the museum was closed for maintenance. Several exhibits were out of order, and the air conditioning wasn’t working, making the environment even more uncomfortable. The dinosaur section, which could have been a highlight, was a major disappointment: many of the models were in poor condition, damaged, and clearly neglected—almost uncomfortable to look at. Overall, a very disheartening experience. I would strongly advise others to avoid this place unless significant...

The only reason this museum has 4 stars instead of 5 is because it's still undergoing renovations! Do not let this put you off though!

Any nature lover visiting Crete should come to this museum. Everything is translated into English and it is jam-packed full of information and wonders to explore and look at!

As you enter there is a long row of lockers that are free to use so you dont have to carry your bags around with you (I really appreciated this). The museum is set out over numerous floors, so there are quite alot of stairs in the building but there are also lifts available.

The discovery centre part of the museum I imagine is pretty useful for kids and school education groups.

I imagine that once the renovations are complete this museum really will be in good condition.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the specimens on display and the different modes of information being displayed (films, interactive panels, information...