Greece › Santorini › Museums › Lost Atlantis Museum
Updated: June 18, 2021
By Santorini Dave
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The museum offers a fun, unique, and interactive experience in exploring the lost island of Atlantis.
Located on the main road from Fira to Perissa, about 1km from Megalochori village, this is the first museum dedicated to the mythological tale of Lost Atlantis.
Visiting this interactive museum, visitors can imagine how Santorini, one of the alleged locations of Atlantis, and the ancient Minoan civilization could have been the origin of the myth. Atlantis is a mythological island with many theories of its existence. One of these theories is in Plato’s (ancient Greek philosopher) narrative Timaeus and Critias. In his dialog, Ancient Athens repels the naval attack from Atlantis, which ends with Atlantis falling out of favor with the Gods and thus submerging into the Atlantic ocean. This pseudo-historic tale embodies Plato’s ideal concept of a state, which he writes about in his other work, The Republic.
Aristotle, also an ancient Greek philosopher and a student of Plato’s, believed that Plato had invented the island to teach philosophy. In Plato’s tale, Poseidon’s (ancient Greek God of the sea, storms, and earthquakes) son Atlas, was made king of the island of Atlantis and the surrounding ocean was named Atlantic Ocean in his honor.
The museum is made up of multiple digital installations set up on 2 floors that let visitors explore and experience the destruction of Atlantis and learn about its myth and connection to Santorini: the theater, with a 9D virtual movie experience that will let visitors relive the earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic eruption that destroyed Atlantis; a talking hologram of Plato where visitors can ask him questions, via a touchscreen, about his philosophy and the lost city of the past; a large replica of Atlantis with notepads set up around it letting visitors experience what day-to-day life might have been like; a 3D holographic representation of the geological evolution from prehistoric ages until today, and a projection that lets visitors experience what it would be like to see molten lava underneath their feet.
Lost Atlantis Museum Hours and Information
- Season: Closed for the winter season, usually mid-November until mid to late March.
- Hours: Open daily 10am to 7pm.
- Website: lost-atlantis.com
- Location: Megalochori, Santorini 847 00
- Telephone: +30 228 608 5076
- Email: info@lost-atlantis.com
- Admission Fee: General – €12. 7-12 years of age – €6. Under 6 years – free.
- Parking: Plenty of parking available.
- Bus: Closest bus stop is Boutari Winery, about a 10-minute walk (700m) down a busy, mostly flat, main road.
Lost Atlantis Museum
The entrance to the museum is on the main road and clearly marked, with plenty of parking outside.
The lobby has a small souvenir store on the left…
…and a sitting area and lockers for visitors on the right. The entrance to the exhibits is also from here.
An intricate scale model of Atlantis is one of the first exhibits.
Electronic touchscreens offer short informational videos on demand.
Another interactive wall explains Plato’s discovery of the island in several languages.
The architecture gives this modern museum a mythological vibe.
The interactive lava floor is fun.
Visitors can use the touchscreen to ask questions to Plato’s hologram.
Another 3D hologram shows the geological evolution of Santorini.
The Trident of Poseidon is a great photo-op for Instagram.
The 9D theater helps visitors experience the tragic earthquake, volcano, and tsunami that destroyed Atlantis.
The exit is through the souvenir store.
There is a big supermarket across the street from the museum.
Signs to Boutari Winery and the bus stop are prominent along the road.
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