Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus, Nicosia

Located on the ground floor of the historic Old Archbishopric in Nicosia, the Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus offers a rich window into the everyday life and traditions of 19th- and early 20th-century Cypriots. The museum’s extensive collection-over 5,000 items-features intricately carved wooden objects, tapestries, embroidery, hand-thrown pottery, and traditional Cypriot costumes, many of which were donated or purchased directly from villagers. The collection includes important private contributions, such as those of Maria Eleutheriou Gaffiero and G. Filis.

Among its treasures is a 19th-century door from the church of Saint Mamas in Morphou, which inspired Greek Nobel laureate Giorgos Seferis in his poem Little Things of Cyprus. Another unique piece is a mural from a coffee shop in the village of Geri, portraying Athanasios Diakos, a hero of the Greek War of Independence.

The museum building began as a Benedictine monastery during the French period in the 13th century and later became a church dedicated to Saint John under the Order of Saint John-Hospitallers. King Hugo I was buried here in 1218. After the Benedictines left in 1426, the Greek Orthodox Church took over and renovated it over the next centuries. Notable features include Gothic architecture, chevron arches, and a 16th-century Annunciation fresco uncovered in 1950.

Adjacent to the Cathedral of Agios Ioannis Evangelistis and close to the Byzantine Museum, National Struggle Museum, and Archbishop’s Palace, the museum is set in a square named after Archbishop Kyprianos, a central figure in Cyprus’ national history who was executed by the Ottomans in 1821. The first floor still preserves a room associated with Kyprianos himself.

Founded in 1937 as a non-profit cultural initiative, the museum has been sustained largely by volunteers and continues to serve as a key institution for preserving and showcasing the island’s folk heritage.