On the central waterfront, this is more of a collection than a museum. The nautical section focuses on sponge fishing, displaying mighty stone weights used by ancient divers and haunting photos of their 20th-century counterparts wearing early-model diving suits. Many divers suffered terrible injuries before the bends (decompression sickness) was understood. The folklore section holds a few costumes and furniture.
Nautical & Folklore Museum
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.62 MILES
A visit to the caldera is like stepping into a science fiction movie, cows grazing amid strange coloured rocks in what resembles a lunar landscape.
25.07 MILES
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum (originally 44.8m high) was the greatest achievement of Carian King Mausolus (r 376–353 BC),…
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15.51 MILES
The island’s most important ancient site stands on a pine-covered hill 3km southwest of Kos Town, commanding lovely views across towards Turkey. A…
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25.25 MILES
Bodrum's magnificent waterfront castle, built by the Knights Hospitaller, dates back to the 15th century. It houses the excellent Museum of Underwater…
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1.62 MILES
This unorthodox collection is the life's work of a local Kalymnian man, Stavros Valsamidis, who for 48 years undertook private dives, and amassed items…
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24.7 MILES
This showpiece modern museum, on Mandraki’s main pedestrian street, displays a fascinating collection of Hellenistic and Roman pottery and sculpture, as…
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Dibeklihan Culture & Art Village
20.3 MILES
In the all-but abandoned village of Yakaköy just off the road between Yalıkavak and Ortakent, this complex contains an art gallery, shops, the Dibek…
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28.26 MILES
The ruins of Knidos (kuh-nee-dos), a once-prosperous Dorian port city dating to 400 BC, lies scattered across the western tip of the Datça Peninsula…
Nearby attractions
0.28 MILES
Kalymnos’ modern Archaeological Museum is tricky to find, hidden in the backstreets behind the eastern end of Pothia’s waterfront. It’s worth the effort…
0.55 MILES
This private folk museum, located on the road past the turn-off to St Savvas, southwest of Pothia, is choc-a-block with old costumes, household goods and…
1.62 MILES
This unorthodox collection is the life's work of a local Kalymnian man, Stavros Valsamidis, who for 48 years undertook private dives, and amassed items…
8.63 MILES
Fully serviced by the operators who rent out sunbed, brollies, wi-fi and more, the lovely sandy strip of Mastihari is great for families. It does get…
12.35 MILES
This beach is for those who want a nature-based experience on a remote strip and small dunes behind. It is also for people who don't mind wind. This is…
13.86 MILES
Despite the fact that it's one long 12km stretch of golden sand, Paradise Beach, the pearl of the island's beaches, is broken down into a number of…
14.57 MILES
Who remembers now that a major WWII battle was fought on this remote little island? After British troops forced the Italians to surrender in September…
15.51 MILES
The island’s most important ancient site stands on a pine-covered hill 3km southwest of Kos Town, commanding lovely views across towards Turkey. A…