Step inside the Chios Mastic Museum in Pyrgi — the world's only museum dedicated to the island's extraordinary mastic resin — and unravel 3,000 years of cultivation, trade, and cultural significance in a masterfully designed space.
What to expect
The museum, designed by award-winning architects, uses immersive installations, historical artefacts, and aromatic exhibits to tell the full story of Chios mastic — the only natural resin in the world that solidifies in teardrop shapes and was once so prized it funded the Ottoman Empire. You trace the cultivation cycle from tree-scoring through to the global trade routes that made Chios an imperial treasure. The gift shop carries premium mastic products — from liqueurs and cosmetics to cooking-grade resin — sourced directly from the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association. The museum is located in Pyrgi village, so the visit integrates naturally with exploring the sgraffito-painted streets.
Good to know
Open daily; confirm hours at peak season as they vary. Combine with the mastic villages walking tour for a full half-day in the south of the island. Located ~30 km from the port — arrange private transport. The museum shop is an exceptional place to purchase authentic, regulated mastic products.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Chios — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Chios
- Private Full-Day Chios Sightseeing with a Local Expert
- Nea Moni Monastery: UNESCO Byzantine Masterpiece & Mosaics
- Mastiha & Food Tour Through Chios's Medieval Mastic Villages
- Mavra Volia Black-Pebble Beach & Volcanic Coastline Experience
- Anavatos: Greece's Abandoned Medieval Village & Castle of Chios