The CIIEM is a cultural institution, a modern city museum that tries to impart all these messages and experiences that emanate from its collections in an interactive way and in direct dialogue with the visitor.

Due to their museological planning, these collections are divided into three independent modules, in correspondence to the halls of the CIIEM: Local Products, 19th century Gytheio and the Girls’ School and Points of Touristic Interest. In all three sections, the visitor has the opportunity to relate to the exhibits, to touch them, to understand their uses and to be transferred to their time, making this way, the museum experience more substantial and experiential.

More specifically, in the first hall, the visitor has the opportunity to touch the different kinds of marble in order to feel each one’s particular texture. Moreover, they can go on a virtual tour and gather information about remarkable reliefs from the whole of Mani, using the dashboard – map. Subsequently, in the section dedicated to salt, two different kinds of salt are exhibited on plexiglas contributing this way to a better understanding of its crystalline form. Also, the visitor can select informative material relating to salt on a special application that presents the salt fields of Mani.

On one end of the Girls’ School Hall, a classroom has been recreated, in which visitors can sit at old desks and (students especially) can wear the school uniform that takes them to another time that is completely different from ours.

The section dedicated to the city of Gytheio presents the social, artistic and economic life of the city during the 19th and 20th centuries. Looking out of the window one can admire both the street layout and the neoclassical buildings, many of which were built during those two centuries. The trip to 19th century Gytheio continues with the sound of the Italian melodies of the director of the Philharmonic of Gytheio, Giocondo Moretti. The picture is made complete by Moretti’s mandolin that is exhibited and can be touched.

The museum experience does not stop here. It continues in the projection room where the visitor has the opportunity to go on a virtual tour across the peninsula of Mani. More specifically, the interactive map in the hall, functions as a tourist information site. The most remarkable tourist attractions, castles, churches, other monuments or areas of natural beauty, museums and their opening hours, the culinary treasures of Mani, the cultural events, tourist services, etc., all unfold before the visitor’s eyes with a touch on the map. Also, a digital display gives the visitor the opportunity to choose between various cultural routes throughout the municipality, while another one enables them to interact with the digital archives of a local newspaper.

Finally, visitors are asked to give us their opinion of what they saw both inside and outside the CIIEM since this is especially important to us. Their views will be recorded and will be taken into consideration accordingly by the people of the CIIEM.

The museum experience is made complete by the educational programs that are implemented after the end of the tour of the museum exhibitions. They have been designed to appeal to all age groups and contribute to a better understanding of the main themes of the CIIEM. You can find detailed information about the training programs in the corresponding section of the website.