About the Exposition
"The island smelled of thyme and the sea — of smoke from Apollo's altar, carried on the wind to every shore of the Mediterranean."
Delos — the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis — was the spiritual and commercial center of the ancient Aegean world. As the most sacred island of the Cyclades, its harbor received merchants, pilgrims, and perfumers from across the known world, making it one of antiquity's great hubs for aromatic trade.
Mykonos, its twin neighbor, preserved these traditions in the wild flora of its hills — thyme, cistus, juniper — scents burned as offerings, used in healing, and worked into the daily life of island people for millennia. This exposition presents ten of the most significant aromatic materials from both islands.
Tourist Season 2026 – 2027
Step inside a living reconstruction of the ancient perfume workshops of Delos. Our physical exhibition space invites visitors to see, touch, and smell the raw ingredients that shaped Mediterranean perfumery — from resin presses and bronze cauldrons to hand-blended aromatic oils recreated using ancient techniques.
Ten illuminated alcoves present the raw aromatic materials of the Cyclades. Press, inhale, and discover the scents that defined sacred rituals and daily life.
A faithfully reconstructed perfume press, bronze cauldron, and extraction tools demonstrate how Delian artisans transformed plants and resins into precious oils.
Rhodinon, Megaleion, and Cyprinum — three legendary ancient Greek perfumes recreated from historical sources, available to experience first-hand.
Large-scale illuminated maps trace the aromatic trade routes that connected Delos to Egypt, Phoenicia, and beyond, with interactive scent stations at each stop.
