Chania has many museums and attractions to see, so it’s a good idea to plan an itinerary ahead of a visit so that time is not wasted debating what to do during the actual vacation. Most tourists only have a limited amount time in any city/country, so being aware of the good places to visit is essential.

Maritime Museum of Crete: Any tourist who is interested in the history of Crete, Chania and Greece will enjoy a visit to this museum.  In a prominent building next to the harbour entrance, this is now a first class maritime museum, following a major refurbishment a few years ago. On the ground floor are models showing the city in the Venetian period, models and pictures of ships that played a part in the wars for Greek and Cretan independence, and models of traditional and ancient ships. There is also a collection of sea shells. On the light and airy upper floor are many models and pictures of traditional sailing vessels of the eastern Mediterranean, models of modern warships and displays of weapons and nautical instruments. The control bridge of a destroyer has been reconstructed. Some rooms show photographs and mementos of the  invasion and occupation during World War II. At the eastern end of the harbour one of the Venetian-period boatsheds has been renovated to hold the ship "Minoa" - a suggested reconstruction of a bronze-age vessel. She sailed from Chania to Piraeus in 2004, and is now displayed along with other small sailing boats, models of regional sailing ships and many pictures. It is an excellent source of historical information.

Archaeological Museum of Chania: This museum contains many historical pieces that date back as far as the 15th century B.C such as items found in Geometric Period graves, prehistoric jewelry, mosaics, clay tablets, and much more.  Ticket information is available on the Museum’s website.

Byzantine Museum of Chania: The Byzantine Museum is filled with information and historical artifacts that chronicle the history of Chania. The museum is located within a church (Church of San Salvatore), which was built sometime in the 15th century. It is the location where the monks of the Franciscan monastery of San Salvatore used to live, and their cells are still preserved for visitors to see. The exhibits in the museum vary and are separated by historical period.