The Mosque of Mastabas is the home of this new museum in Rethymnon. Under the wings of the Goulandris Natural History Museum, this authentic 9-dome monument has been restored and the surrounding area have been turned into a botanic garden with endemic Cretan plants, trees and bushes.
The paleontological collection of the Municipality of Rethymnon, which consists of findings from excavations from all over the prefecture by German scientist Siegfired Kuss (University of Freiburg), will form the basis of the exhibition. The Goulandris foundation has been looking after this collection in collaboration with the University of Athens (Historical Geology and Palaeontology Faculty).
Visitors will be able to see representations of dwarf Cretan elephants, dwarf hippopotamuses and polymorphous deer. Information about these animals, the first inhabitants of Crete will also be made available. The museum will also provide extensive research facilities for the academic community.
The museum is open from Monday to Saturday, 09.00-15.00.
Entrance fee is €4 for adults, €2 for Higher Education students, free for anybody else.
You do not have to be inside the museum grounds to find the cache. Stealth is required.