The exhibition halls of the Natural History Museum of Crete (NHMC) are housed in the renovated former premises of the Electricity Corporation of Heraklion.
The construction of the power plant in Heraklion was completed in 1920, marking the ignition of the engines responsible for generating and supplying electricity to the city. In 1994, it was listed as a preserved industrial building, by the Ephorate of Contemporary and Modern Monuments. Following a series of transfers, the building was granted to the University of Crete in 2003 to house the NHMC’s exhibition.
The exhibition halls cover approximately 6,000 square meters. Designed to follow an original museological narrative enriched with a wide variety of visual materials, it serves as a polyvalent space of science and culture, establishing a landmark for the city of Heraklion.
The building construction was incorporated into the European URBAN initiative, aiming to upgrade the Agia Triada and Kaminia areas. The interior development of the halls has been funded and continues to receive funding from various sources, including the Prefecture of Crete, European and National programs (PA, INTERREG, etc.), the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, as well as private entities.
The Natural History Museum of Crete, its exhibition, and its numerous educational and research activities serve as a model of urban development. Our organization adopts strategies that promote the involvement of all citizens with an emphasis on the inclusion of vulnerable communities and the preservation of values that promote environmental ethics. It engages with contemporary challenges and contributes to the decision-making process always in favor of the well-being of people and their natural environment.
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