The Faltaits Folklore Museum, Skyros
The Faltaits Museum in Chora is the key to understanding Skyros, founded in 1964 in a 19th-century mansion, it holds the island's costumes, carved furniture, rare books and an authentic Skyrian house.
Last updated 29 June 2026
If you visit only one thing in Chora besides the castle, make it the Faltaits Museum. In an hour it makes the whole island legible, the carved furniture in the shop windows, the costumes of the Carnival, the proud, particular identity of Skyros all start here.
In short: The Faltaits Folklore Museum sits high in Chora, in the 19th-century family mansion of Manos Faltaits, who founded it in 1964 as one of Greece’s first local folklore museums. Its collection, traditional costumes, carved furniture, ceramics, rare books and manuscripts, and an authentic reconstruction of a Skyrian house, preserves the island’s heritage from the post-Byzantine era to today.
Why it matters
Skyros has a culture entirely its own, and the Faltaits Museum is where it is gathered and explained. Founded in 1964 by Manos Faltaits to save and document the island’s traditions, it was among the first folklore museums in Greece. Walking its rooms, you begin to see how the threads connect: the wood-carving, the embroidery, the Carnival costumes, the architecture of the little white houses.
What to see
The collection is rich for its size. Look for:
- Traditional costumes, including pieces tied to the famous Carnival.
- Skyrian carved furniture, the diminutive chairs and tables built for the island’s small rooms.
- Ceramics and embroidery, the island’s distinctive decorative crafts.
- Rare books, manuscripts, maps and photographs documenting island life.
- An authentic reconstruction of a Skyrian house, the single best way to picture how islanders lived.
The Skyrian house
The reconstructed interior is the heart of the visit. The traditional Skyrian home was a single, carefully arranged room, walls hung with plates and copperware, built-in wooden platforms, hand-carved furniture, each object both useful and decorative. It explains, better than any label, why the island’s crafts look the way they do.
Planning your visit
The museum sits up in Chora, a short walk from the main square and the path to the castle, so it pairs naturally with a morning in the village. Give it a proper hour rather than a quick look, and visit early in your trip; everything else you see on Skyros will mean more afterwards.
FAQ
Who founded the Faltaits Museum and when? Manos Faltaits founded it in 1964, in his family’s 19th-century mansion in Chora, as one of Greece’s earliest folklore museums.
What will I see there? Skyrian costumes, carved furniture, ceramics, embroidery, rare books and manuscripts, and a reconstructed traditional Skyrian house.
Where is it, and how long should I allow? High in Chora, near the main square and the route to the castle. Allow about an hour.
Related: Chora & Culture · the Skyrian horse. Want Chora and the museum built into your days? Plan your trip →