Archaeological Collection of Farsala

The Archaeological Collection of Farsala is the newest museum space in Thessaly, inaugurated in June 2025. It is housed in a historic, renovated building—the old 1st Primary School—and was created to fill an important gap in a city with a rich history.

An old school building in Farsala was transformed from a beacon of education into a beacon of culture, providing a home for significant archaeological finds that bear witness to the long history of the city—considered the homeland of Achilles—as well as the wider region.

At present, the Archaeological Collection of Farsala is hosting its debut temporary exhibition titled “Kastro Kallitheas. Glimpses into an Ancient City.”

Greek-Canadian collaboration

The exhibition presents life in the ancient city, the ruins of which are visible at the site “Kastro” of Kallithea. The ancient city is located atop a double-peaked hill at an altitude of 618 meters near the village of Kallithea. It was inhabited from the 4th to the 2nd century BC and is likely identified with the ancient city of Peuma. Archaeological surface surveys and excavations have been conducted at the site since 2004 by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Larissa and the University of Alberta, Canada, under the auspices of the Canadian Institute in Greece and with the support of the Municipality of Farsala.

Directors of the Greek-Canadian archaeological project are University of Alberta professor Margriet Haagsma and archaeologist from the Ephorate of Antiquities of Larissa Sophia Karapanou. The excavation brought to light the city's fortifications, within which remain visible on the surface the acropolis, a temple, a stoa, and other public buildings of the Agora, as well as a private residence.

From the margins to the center of History

The exhibition includes finds from excavations of public buildings and a private residence, among them vessels, loom weights, oil lamps, figurines, coins, tools, and jewelry. The most remarkable finds come from the research at Building 10, an unusually large private house that provided a wealth of information about daily life in the city.

Research at Kastro Kallitheas showed that areas often thought to belong on the margins of history were by no means lacking in cultural and economic development. Especially from the Hellenistic period onward, they participated in the international political and economic networks of that era of great political change.

Useful information
Address: Canada Street
T/ +302491023524
Summer Opening Hours: Monday – Friday, 09:00–12:00
Free Admission