Cultural and Geological Melathro Rhodes — Attraction in Municipality of Rhodes

one of the most jaw-dropping place we’ve visited during our stay in Rhodes. This is not a “museum”, because it lacks the scientific/historic explanations. It is also not a “collection”, as it is not “focused” on certain disciplines, eras, artifacts. it is more of a “semi-organized hoard” of a man.

You are exposed to stuff like old typewriters, piggy banks, portraits of the owner’s parents in black and white. and get to see “authentic” greek outfits that have tags on them saying “made in india” or the sorts. you get to see sculptures made by himself (at least that’s what his daughter said) that lack context, seem more like hobby. and at the very end, you enter a garage of “more things”.

these more things range from stuffed animals to geologically meaningful/meaningless stones. at that point the owner joined us to “explain” his collection, but it is more of a bombardment of where he’s “found” the stones, what they are and how old they are, each gaze of a section paired with a sentence lasting a few seconds followed by another one. in between stones jumps in random artifacts such as “two helmets from world war i” and a 2500 year old tomb stone from ancient greece, just sitting there.

the lack of context is so evident that, in between python skins and stuff turtles sits a cupboard he shows proudly, there’s stamps, and he says “the cupboard is full of stamps enough to open up a new museum for stamps, but he doesn’t have the space for it”. this attitude alone portrays the “hoarding” state of the place, rather than “presenting/informing” attitude of a museum. (i’ve been to “stamp museums” before sir, they’re more than “showcasing” them)

i was lucky enough to attend the place with a geologist, and some of the stones (not all) can only be in places where valuable mines are obviously present, and you should be trespassing. my friend mistakenly said “you should have found chromium where this stone was found” to the owner and he replied “of course there was plentiful” where my friend really meant copper. but again, there was no scientific background of anything.

there are stones from certain countries where it should be hard to get by, he says he’s brought them from japan, from latin america himself. we ask if they allowed it, and the response was a shrug, accompanied with “just put it in your luggage and here it is”.

he’s “printed” books (in greek only) on how he’s built the place from scratch, with the students from his first school visit.

i think the owner is enthusiastic, lacks formal education and practice about any natural science, social science, pedagogy, collector’s discipline. the bombardment of “information” you’re exposed to aren’t even apparent to his daughter, let alone any sign, label, publication or sorts. therefore this is definitely not a museum, but a personal hoard, gathered enthusiastically with questionable methods.

in his defence against other comments here, as a turkish person, i haven’t faced any racist comment or gesture. but i can imagine not having a consistent experience visiting this place two times in a row.

wish him best on his journey, but i can understand why he says the authorities don’t approve him, and i really wonder what unesco has exactly awarded or recognized here in the...

A Historical, geographical and cultural hidden gem of Rhodes!! Dr Spyrou Katsouri is an international treasure!! A must see, unique place!!

The trip to the Cultural Palace was a absolutely unique experience. We were met by a proud, enthusiastic, passionate, friendly and the most hospitable Greek possible, that went above and beyond to show and explain everything that he had within his vast collection of cultural, geographical, political and historical treasures. As a student of history and politics I was astounded and amazed by the vast array of objects, materials and knowledge and was enthused by everything that was included within the collection. It was extremely motivating and deeply touching to be in the presence of such an enthusiastic and motivated individual that clearly loves everything about what Greece's History and culture has to offer, as am I. As a Individual that is learning the Greek Language and is totally captivated by the Greek culture and it's history, it was an great experience to be able to speak with Dr Spyrou about Greece and all of the artifacts in his possession. As you can see from the photos that I have attached to this review, the motivation, enthusiasm, love and dedication that Dr Spyrou has ploughed into the Cultural Palace pours from every corner and is a unique place which must be visited by everyone on their trip to Rhodes!! Thankyou very much my friend, you are a star and a treasure internationally and more importantly to the...

Visiting this private museum was an experience unlike anything I’ve seen before… The place is not commercial, not crowded, and far from the typical tourist route. It felt deeply personal and meaningful.

What makes this museum so unique is not just the fascinating collection of rare artifacts, but the story behind it. The owner, an extraordinary and passionate individual, personally gave us a free guided tour. He shared the history of the museum’s creation, the story of his family, and how many of the artifacts were discovered. His dedication to preserving memory, history, and culture is inspiring.

What struck me most was the concept itself: offering such a rich and intimate experience for free, purely out of love for collecting and a desire to share that with others. In a world where so much has become commercialized, this museum stands as a reminder of generosity, authenticity, and personal connection.

Dear Katsouris, I wish you many more years of health, creativity, and inspiration. What you have built is truly priceless, both for the community and for the visitors lucky enough to find their way here. The museum was absolutely amazing and truly unique. We will never forget this experience visiting Rodos. You created historical heritage that will be remembered for many many years....