The Venetian monastery of St. Francis of Franciscans, houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania, which began its operation in 1963.
It is located in the heart of the old town of Chania, on Halidon Street and houses the archaeological collection of Chania perfecture.
The building has received several interventions that have altered the most part.
The monks' cells and some other buildings were on the south side on the double portico.

The main exhibits are housed in the catholic of the monastery and include objects illustrating the history of Chania from the Neolithic era to the period of the Roman occupation.
They are divided into two large sections, with the eastern section to accommodate objects of the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age. In the other part, the western one, exhibits of the Iron Age are presented.

The collections are complemented by the Minoan finds of the city of Chania, prehistoric finds from caves, tombs of the Geometric period, historical years from the city of Chania and from several other towns, Minoan findings of Chania perfecture, coins, jewelry (of prehistoric and historic times), sculptures, inscriptions, columns, mosaics, etc.

There are also mosaic floors of the Roman period (2nd-3rd century AD), which are depicting scenes from the Dionysian circle, and episodes of the myth of Poseidon and Amimoni Nymph.

"The Turkish fountain" that once was located at Eleftherios Venizelos Square, in the Venetian port, today it is kept in the courtyard of the Museum.

The 2000 year, an important collection of Constantine, Marika and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was donated to the Archaeological Museum of Chania. The exhibits are the 1/3 of the collection and their presentation follows the chronological order (late 4th millennium BC - 3rd century AD.).

Maintenance workshops of ceramics, metal objects, coins, frescoes, mosaics as well as the chemical laboratory in the museum, are taking care of all necessary maintenance and enhancement of the findings.

Next to the main entrance, in a specially designed bell-tower, is the showroom - shop of the Archaeological Resources Fund for visitor's service.


Mitsotakis Rooms

Room 1: It exhibits pottery from different regions of Crete, the final Neolithic or Sub-neolithic period (3650 to 3500 BC), the Pre-Palace (3650/3500 - 2300/2150 BC), the New-Palace and the Cretan-Mycenaean period (1700 to 1070 BC), representative samples of various styles of local production, and also the important collection of Minoan stone -vases and utensils. Room 2: It exhibits tributes from Minoan sanctuaries, samples of Minoan seals, of Minoan goldsmith and vases of the early Iron Age (11th-7th century BC.). Room 3: It exhibits products of Minoan metalwork and varia.