The building was constructed during the Italian occupation of the Dodecanese specifically to house antiquities found during excavations in the 1930s.
The museum houses a rare 3rd-century BC mosaic depicting the legendary arrival of Asklepios in Kos.
The statue of Hippocrates displayed here is one of the few authentic ancient depictions of the physician.
Many of the mosaics in the collection were transferred from the Casa Romana and local Roman villas.
The museum courtyard features a collection of funerary altars and inscriptions that date back to the Hellenistic period.
The Archaeological Museum of Kos is housed in a prominent 1930s Italian-era building located in the center of Eleftherias Square. It holds an extensive collection of sculptures, mosaics, and inscriptions recovered from the ancient ruins across the island. The centerpiece of the collection is a monumental statue of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. The museum also displays intricate Hellenistic and Roman mosaic floors removed from excavated villas. Notable architectural features include a central atrium decorated with mosaics and an courtyard filled with ancient stone carvings. The building itself is an example of Dodecanese colonial architecture from the period of Italian rule. It serves as the primary repository for the island’s archaeological finds spanning from the Mycenaean era to the late Roman period.
The central atrium featuring the Hellenistic mosaics and the statue of Hippocrates.
Visit the nearby Casa Romana and the Roman Odeon to see the original contexts of the artifacts displayed in the museum.
The museum is compact; combine this visit with a walking tour of the surrounding archaeological park of the city center.
Check the lighting conditions, as some mosaics are displayed on the floor while others are mounted on walls.
Do not mistake the museum for the various ruins scattered outside the building; the indoor exhibits contain the most fragile and high-value items.
Typically closed on Mondays; museum hours may be limited during the winter off-season.
No flash photography permitted; avoid touching the exposed mosaic surfaces.
