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This month I visited the Ethnographic Museum in Paphos, Cyprus for my museum of the month. I have to start by saying I would not recommend a visit to this museum. It’s questionable how it achieved a 4 out 5 review on tripadvisor. Read my experience to decide for yourself if the museum is something you should add to your list of things to do in Paphos or not. 

I like learning about the history and the people of the places I visit. I also find myself enjoying smaller museums with a specific focus, more than the large scale well-known museums. The reviews on tripadvisor made it sound just like a place I would enjoy. Because of the good rating and the close proximity to my hotel I decided to visit.

The museum is an example of a Cypriot house with historical items that the family has apparently collected. Different areas are set up to show different aspects of Cypriot life. Downstairs there was a garden area and a hallway with rooms set up in various ways that you could look in, but not go inside. 

Upstairs was only this one hallway with artifacts on the walls and cabinets. There were also two rooms to look inside. Written explanations are scarce. The whole place just looked like rooms with things in them. Without any background information present I can’t really say more than that, because that is all I gathered from my visit there. In reality you can learn more about the place from reading reviews online than when you are actually visiting. 

 I think there was a guidebook available for an additional cost but it was not offered to me. Other visitors said they received a warm welcome from the owners and were given information when they looked around. The owner wasn’t exactly rude to me, but the only thing she said was the price. She gave no information about anything inside the house and definitely did not go out of her way to be friendly.

I’m one of those people who like to see everything when I visit a museum so I usually spend more than the recommended time. Some reviews stated spending an hour here. I have no idea how that is possible. I spent 15 minutes max!

Typically I really like to support small museums and family run establishments, but unfortunately I can’t give a positive review. I didn’t find anything especially interesting and without any verbal or written information it just didn’t seem worth it to me, especially for five euros.

I haven’t had too much luck with my monthly museums yet. Last month at the Museo del Historia in Arrecife I thought there was too much information and not enough artifacts, this month is the opposite! But there is still 9 more months in the year and thousands of museums in the world left to explore!

To check out my other museum’s of the month this year, click here.

For more ideas what to do in Paphos, read my Paphos Guide or my experience visiting the Paphos Archeological Park.

Visiting Information

Location

Exo Vrysis 1, Old Town, Paphos, Cyprus

How to get there

From the new part of Paphos either about a 20 – 30 minute walk or a quick bus ride. Bus info here. 

Recommendations

My recommendation would be to not visit 🙁 It is not a big waste of time if you are in the area, because it doesn’t take long to visit. Still I would spend my money elsewhere. Even if it was free I wouldn’t be too keen on visiting. Check my Cyprus page for better ideas on how to spend your time in the country. 

FYI

There are toilets downstairs.

Where to Stay

I stayed only a few minutes walk away in old Paphos at Axiothea Hotel. It was a great stay at a reasonably priced family run hotel. For more options where to stay click here.

Check out my Museum of the Month page to see all my museum reviews!

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