Three new museums that give a reason for a trip

The Natural History Museum and Mushroom Museum of Meteora opened about a year ago in Kalambaka, at the foot of the famous rocks of Meteora (UNESCO World Heritage Site). More than 300 species of birds and mammals, mostly from Greece and Europe, and the main species of mushrooms are exhibited integrated into the natural environment where they grow and spread and also classified according to the ecosystem to which they belong. Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm, Saturday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm The Ethnological and Folklore Museum of Chrisso in the village of the same name on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, where traditional costumes are the centre of attention. The museum opened last December and is housed in the two-storey neoclassical building that once housed the village school. The rich folk art collection of Elias Daradimos –with the traditional Greek costumes being its centrepiece– stands out among the exhibits. The traditional female costumes of Fokida feature prominently in the collection, which also includes rare engravings, paintings, furniture, photographs, traditional embroidery, weapons from the revolution of 1821 and other items. Finish the tour with a necessary visit to the nearby archaeological site of Delphi. Tuesday-Sunday 9 am-3 pm: Chrisso Museum Our second choice is the Archaeological Museum of Tegea in the village of Alea, a breath away from Tripoli, in the heart of the Peloponnese. It reopened fully refurbished and equipped with modern audiovisual equipment, and depicts the long history of Tegea, a famous city of ancient Arcadia, in a direct and interactive manner. The works of Scopas, the great sculptor and architect of the ancient times stand out, with the Sanctuary of Athena Alea, whose history “revives” in Hall 4, being the focus of interest. The tour ends with the outdoor exhibition in the courtyard of the museum. Tuesday-Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., www.tegeamuseum.gr