What began as a small collection of antiquities of Minoan art has amounted to being the prime museum for Minoan art in the world. Crete somehow escaped the sticky hands of 'collectors' and so the Herkalion Archeological Museum offers the visitor an insight into Minoan life in the island it originated from (no need to visit the British Museum for that, this time). With its contents spanning 5,500 year of Cretan history, the Museum was built on a Catholic Monastery that was destroyed in 1856. The Building is of Bauhaus design and staying true to its history, the colours, red, black and yellow replicate the Minoan style.
The Snake goddess. She holds two snakes in her hands that represent rebirth as snaked shed their skin. Her bared breasts represent fertility. Note the cat on her head. Not much is known about her. But there are parallels with Egyptian culture (Crete is closer to Egypt than Athens).