Nicosia Museums

Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is undoubtedly the museum capital of the island too, with more than 60 museums, exhibition halls and galleries.  There are small family museums with artifacts lovingly collected, and state museums with large collections and exhibits.

Here we will tell you about some of them.

Cyprus Museum

This is a quiet museum in the centre of Nicosia, close to the old city Cyprys, which collects unique and antique items from different eras.

The museum was built in 1882 and is considered to be one of the largest and oldest on the island.  A large number of the most precious items discovered on the island are preserved here in wonderful condition.

There are a total of 14 halls in the museum, featuring ceramics, bronze, coloured glass ware, and stones with intriguing carvings, vases, ancient coins, gold decorations and sculptures.  They include a statue of the goddess of love, the world famous Aphrodite, dating back to the 1^st century b.c., and which became the symbol of Cyprus.  Its grandeur and beauty can’t be put into words.  Her image adorns all the souvenirs of the island – badges, key trinkets, day-to-day items, booklets, bags and china.

While passing from one hall into another you find yourself in different periods of Cyprus’ history, and you become immersed in the different eras.  The halls are located in thematic and chronological order, beginning with the prehistoric period.  Clay figurines in one of the display cases are worthy of special interest.  It is noticeable that they are all unique, of varying sizes, with different facial features and clothes.

This is one of Cyprus’ best museums, definitely not to be missed, and would be of interest to both professional researchers and visitors who like and appreciate history.  Each exhibit is described in both English and Greek.

The entrance fee is €4.50 and the whole exhibition will probably take around 2 hours to peruse.

Shacolas Tower Museum & Observatory

This is the place where you get to know the capital of Cyprus.

The city is in plain sight and you can clearly see the occupied territory.  Visitors can see the city and its sights using interactive tips on displays and sights of Cyprus maps, creating a personal route to get acquainted with the city.

There are free binoculars to use, and in a small room in the centre of the hall you can watch a fascinating documentary on the history of Nicosia which is shown in several languages, including English.

The entrance fee is €2 and you are allowed to take photos.  There is a café and shop on the floor below.

The Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum

Everyone who loves motorcycles and scooters will like it here.

There are about 300 items in the whole collection, but space limitations mean that only about 100 items are exhibited at one time.

There is more than enough to see though, with British and Italian motorcycles, several American police models and the legendary Harley Davidson from the 60’s.

There are also various styles and types of bicycles from different eras and you can take a photo with your favourite exhibit as a memento.

Check the map from the Shakolas Tower and you will easily find this museum.

The Pancyprian Gymnasium Museums

This is a hidden treasure and a must visit for anyone who appreciates cultural traditions and the heritage of the island.

The museum occupies two floors – one is devoted to the history of school itself with samples of uniforms, learning aids, documents and school items, and the second floor is the history of the island with a wonderful collection of clay crockery, ancient coins and weaponry and various archeological finds.

There is a Byzantium museum nearby too, which is also very interesting to visit.

Anyone will be able to give you directions and the entrance is free.

Archbishop Makarios III Foundation – Byzantine Museum and Art Galleries

This is one of the few places in the world to look at ancient Greek Orthodox images, and tell you about the methods of painting pictures, icons and mosaics.

The museum is located in the historical centre of the old city of Nicosia, in the same building as the residence of Archbishop Makarios, but with the entrance from the opposite side, closed off by an iron fence and right behind the cathedral of Nicosia.

Here you can enjoy the icons painted in the 9^th century b.c., and mosaics of the 6^th century. Fragments transported from the domes of churches are interestingly displayed.

You may take photos only in the halls where the work of the visiting children attending art classes is displayed.  The gallery is not only a collection of ancient artifacts, but also a memorial to war – the barbarism, desecration and the cause of returning spiritual values to the motherland.

This place is good for both children and adults and a ticket costs €4.

The National Struggle Museum

If you are interested in the modern history of Cyprus and want to learn about the reasons behind the split of the island, then you should visit this museum.

Here you can see the history of the fighting with documents and exhibits. Freedom does not always come through peaceful means. In the museum you can see materials and documents relating to the years 1955 – 1959. Letters, samples of weaponry and clothes of that time are displayed here.

English speaking staff with first-hand experience can tell you all the historical details.  The museum, like all government organisations, is only open on work days.

Cyprus Folk Art Museum

Ethnographic museums always trigger a lot of interest.  How the local inhabitants lived, how they dressed and decorated themselves and their homes, how they cooked their food and kept their homes.

The exhibition of this museum is of the end of the 19^th and beginning of the 20^th century, and is very interesting and educational. The museum is located in a very old building – the palace of the Archbishop which was constructed in the 15^th century. An exhibition of national clothes and wedding attire is very impressive.

Here you can also see pictures of wedding couples taken between the years 1915 – 1980.  The exhibition includes clay crockery, jewelry, stones, musical instruments and household items, coverlets, kitchenware, utensils, lamps, services, pans, sewing machines and embroidery, clothes, pictures and handicraft tools.

The entrance fee is €2

Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia

A small museum in the capital, with a perfectly selected collection for the exhibition.

The museum is located in the district of Ledra in the centre of the old city.  The museum is very charming with an atmosphere of lightness and airiness; no depressing academicism or strict museum staff here. The museum itself is quite large – several floors with many rooms and exhibits, perfectly renovated and with modern equipment.

There are many exhibits from different eras showing the history of the development of the island, its different periods (Turkish, British rule etc.), with screens and monitors to show films about the different eras of the island.

The museum often holds exhibitions devoted to the cultural connections of Cyprus with other countries.

All the artifacts are memorable, bright and with a lot of historical documentation, pictures of Cyprus of the times of colonisation, costumes and weaponry come alive here. There is also a collection of old books.

Entry is free and the museum is also open on weekends.  The premises are air conditioned, very important in the summer here, and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable.

Cyprus Museums – Nicosia

• Artos Foundation: Leoforos Agion Omologiton 64, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22445455;
• Mouseo Fisikis Istorias Dimou Aglantzias: Markou Drakou 24, Aglantzia, тел.: 357 22334934;
• Gallery Charalambous: Aigeos 7z, Strovolos, тел.: 357 99364410;
• Institute Archiepiskopou Makariou: Plateia Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 4a, тел.: 357 22430008;
• Point Centre For Contemporary Art: Leoforos Evagorou A 2-2th, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22662053;
• Tsirideon Institute: Leoforos Strovolou 120a, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22487029;
• The Asylum: Peiraios 23, Old town center: тел.: 357 99682789;
• Alpha C.K. Art Gallery: Dimitriou Papanikoli 3 Makarios Ave, тел.: 357 22751325;
• Atelie Vizantinis Technis: Leoforos Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 47-47g, Strovolos, тел.: 357 99386342;
• The Centre of Contemporary Art Diatopos: Kritis 11, Trypiotis, тел.: 357 22766117;
• Afaia: Aischylou 83, Old town center, тел.: 357 22769779;
• Bellapais Studio & Gallery: Livaniou 18, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22427001;
• Gallery Diachroniki 2: Solonos 32, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22665074;
• L & N Art Gallery: Leoforos Archiepiskopou Makariou III 7, Lakatameia, тел.: 357 22328868;
• Ekastikos Peripatos: Viona 4a, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22427535;
• Apocalypse Gallery: Avlonos 9-9g, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22300150;
• Galeri Technis Periplous: Kilkis 3, Strovolos, тел.: 357 99861462;
• Kornizopoieo Oi Kykloi: Leoforos Strovolou 69b, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22494219;
• State Gallery of Contemporary Art: Kritis 1 , Trypiotis, тел.: 357 22458228;
• Technis Dromena: Leoforos Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 53, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22496398;
• Kyklades: Megalou Alexandrou 31a, Old town center, тел.: 357 22667612;
• Vartan Art Studio & Gallery:  Leoforos Athalassis 27g, Strovolos, тел.: 357 99623068;
• Opus 39 Gallery: Kimonos 21, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22424983;
• Philippides Gallery: Solonos Michailidi 15, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22438012;
• Gallery Toufexis: Lordou Vyronos 35-35b, Panagias;
• Golden Gallery By Kapatays: Mnasiadou 8a-8b , Strovolos, тел.: 357 22762587;
• Gallery K: Evrou 10, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22341122;
• Argo Gallery: Leoforos Digeni Akrita 64-64e, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22754009;
• Gloria Gallery: Zinonos Sozou 3, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22762605;
• Center Meletis Istorias Katechomenon Edafon: Korytsas 2, Strovolos, тел.: 357 99673816;
• Gallery Diachroniki 1:Arsinois 84, Old town center, тел.: 357 22680145;
• Isnotgallery: Odysseos 11, Strovolos, тел.: 357 22343670;
• Istoriko Ergatiko Mouseo Peo: Archermou 15-29, тел.: 357 22866696;
• Maple Leaf Bar: Kallipoleos 43, Lakatameia, тел.: 357 22753546;
• The Mevlevi Tekke Museum; 
• Polichoros Center Technon Paparouna: Leoforos Archiepiskopou Makariou III 278, Strovolos, тел.: 357 96376001;
• The Dr Fazil Kucuk Museum: Asmalti;
• Postal museum: Agiou Savva 3-3b, тел.: 357 22304711;
• Polititstiko Institute Trapezas Kiprou: Faneromenis 86-98, тел.: 357 22128157;
• Rota Children’s Museum: Thiseos 68, Old town center, тел.: 357 22349434;
• Nicosia Municipal Arts Center: 19, Palias Ilektrikis, 1016 Lefkosia, P.O.Box 21015, тел.: 357 22797400;
• Turkish Ethnographical Museum: Girne St.;
• The Lapidary Museum;
• Museum of George and Nefeli Giabra: 86-90 Phaneromenis Str, тел.: 357 22128157;
• Pantheon Art Cinema: Leoforos Evagorou A 30, тел.: 357 22675787;
• The Private Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus: 56, Sehit Ecvet Yusuf Cad, тел.: 392 2271785;
• Near East Car Museum: Near East Boulevard, Near East University;
• Museum of the History of Cypriot Coinage: 86-90 Phaneromenis Str;
• The Pancyprian Gymnasium Museums: Agiou Ioannou 1, тел.: 357 22466014;
• Ethnological Museum House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios: Patriarchou Grigoriou V 20, тел.: 357 22305316;
• The Dervis Pasha Mansion: Belig Pasha Street;
• Loukia and Michael Zampelas Art Museum: Leoforos Archiepiskopou Makariou III 27 , Kaimakli, тел.: 357 22456099;
• The Museum of Barbarism: 2 Sehit Murruvet Ilhan Sok. Kumsal;
• The Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum: Granikou 44, тел.: 357 22680222;
• Archbishop Makarios III Cultural Foundation: Archbishop Kyprianou Sq., тел.: 02 430008;
• The National Struggle Museum: Archbishop Kyprianou Square, Odos Agiou Ioannou, тел.: 22 305 878;
• Archbishop Makarios III Foundation – Byzantine Museum and Art Galleries: 5 Andrea Loannou, Archiepiskopou Kyprianou Square, тел.: 06 231392;
• Cyprus Folk Art Museum: Plateia Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 2, тел.: 00357 22432578;
• Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia: 15-17 Hippocrates Street, Laiki Yitonia, Nicosia, тел.: 357 22661475;
• Shacolas Tower Museum & Observatory: Ledra Street 11th Floor of the Debenhams Building, тел.: 357 22679369;
• A. G. Leventis Gallery: A. G. Leventis (ex Leonidou) 5, Trypiotis, тел.: 357 22668838;
• Cyprus Museum: 1 Museum St..