Museums

Opened in 1999, Hydra’s Ecclesiastical Museum “Macarius of Corinth,” located in the center of Hydra’s Harbor in the cathedral/town hall complex under the clock tower, is a companion to Hydra’s cathedral itself. Housed in a former monk cell, its exhibits include richly embroidered vestments, jewels, religious objects, and documents of historical value.

The Historic Archives and Museum of Hydra (IAMY), supervised by the Ministry of Education, gathers and catalogs documents and artifacts related to Hydra, particularly the history, culture, and tradition of the island. Today the archive includes some 20,000 original manuscripts, codices books, and other historic rare documents and materials. The museum displays artifacts from national and Hydriot history and culture, as well as paintings by well-known artists. Founded in 1918, IAMYmoved to its current, specially constructed location in 1972.

The Historic Archives and Museum of Hydra (IAMY), supervised by the Ministry of Education, gathers and catalogs documents and artifacts related to Hydra, particularly the history, culture, and tradition of the island. Today the archive includes some 20,000 original manuscripts, codices books, and other historic rare documents and materials. The museum displays artifacts from national and Hydriot history and culture, as well as paintings by well-known artists. Founded in 1918, IAMYmoved to its current, specially constructed location in 1972.

Called the “Father of the Nation,” shipowner Lazaros Koundouriotis (1769–1852) played an important role in the Greek War of Independence. Located near Hydra’s port, the archontika, or manor, of Lazaros Koundouriotis provides a superb example of the eighteenth-century Hydriot mansions facing the harbor, whose architecture often reflects influences from abroad. Built in 1780, it was donated to the Historic-Ethnologic Institute of Greece by the family’s descendants and today operates as a branch of the National Museum of History.