Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, Rhodes (must see)

One of the most significant buildings in the Old Town, the Knights' New Hospital, now houses the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. This structure not only displays artifacts from all the ancient sites on the island but also stands as a testament to the wealth and considerable engineering skills of its medieval builders.

Construction of the hospital began in 1440 and was completed nine years later under the guidance of Grand Master Pierre d’Aubusson. Designed as a state-of-the-art facility for its time, it provided medical care to Christians from across Europe. The building underwent restoration during the Italian occupation and required further repairs after sustaining bomb damage during World War II.

Inside, the museum features a large courtyard lined with arched porticoes, one graced by a lion statue from the Hellenistic period. The courtyard also displays piles of cannonballs from various sieges, including that led by Suleiman the Magnificent. To the left of the courtyard, a stone staircase ascends to the infirmary hall, a vast space with a roof supported by several stone columns, reminiscent of a medieval courtroom. This main ward originally accommodated over 100 beds and had special recessed rooms for the critically ill. Originally featuring minimal comforts, such as a fireplace, it now houses relics from the era of the Knights, including the gravestones of notable members complete with their familial coats-of-arms.

The rooms on the rest of the floor, including the large refectory, have been partitioned into smaller galleries displaying a variety of artifacts, including painted pottery, large storage jars called "pithoi", and grave artifacts from ancient sites like Ialysos and Kameiros, with sections devoted to finds from specific periods. Notably, rooms 6 to 8 focus on artifacts from Ialysos dating from the 9th to the 4th century BC, while rooms 9 to 15 showcase discoveries from Kameiros, all unearthed during the Italian period of excavation.

The atrium area, once the hospital kitchen, now exhibits a remarkable collection of Classical statuary and grave steles, notably one donated by Krito for her mother Timarista around 410 BC, crafted by a local artist in the Athenian style prevalent at that time. Nearby, visitors can also find an Archaic-era "kouros" and a small head of Zeus found near his temple on Mount Atávyros.

Other rooms display exquisite Hellenistic and Roman statues, including two marble representations of Aphrodite: Thalassia or Aidoumene, famously dubbed the 'Marine Venus' by Lawrence Durrell but notable for her sea-dissolved face, and the more accessible "Aphrodite Bathing", a crouched figure arranging her hair, which dates back to the 1st century BC but is thought to be a copy of a 3rd-century BC original. Adjacent to these, a sculpture garden displays a quirky mix of stylized animals both real and mythical, such as dolphin heads, lions, and sea serpents, all set among potted plants.