The old school was built in 1929 on a piece of land (32,000 sq. m.) offered by the Monastery of Agios Georgios (village of Nerokouros). Back then, Ioannis Andronikakis, who was serving as President of the School Ephorate, funded part of the project and his role was instrumental in completing the construction of the building. The Primary School had been established and opened in the 1899 – 1900 school year.

Construction works of new school began in 1996 and the work were completed in 2001. In 2003, given that the new Primary School of the village of Nerokouros had been completed and was in operation, the Municipality of Eleftherios Venizelos gave an area of 4,000 sq. m to the Prefectural Government of Chania in order for the latter to house the School Life Museum. The whole project was based on the proposal and initiative of two Primary Education teachers, Dimitrios Kartsakis and Maria Drakaki. The then Prefect of Chania, Georgios Katsanevakis, embraced the idea and the Prefecture of Chania financed the restoration of the old school and the museological study for the School Life Museum. The Museum opened to the public in May 2006. Under Mayor Panagiotis Simandirakis, the decision number 41/2021 (ΑΔΑ: 6ΓΚ0ΩΗ5-ΑΜΡ) by the Municipal Council placed the Museum under the CHANIA MUNICIPAL PUBLIC BENEFIT ENTERPRISE FOR CULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT – CENTRE FOR MEDITERRANEAN ARCHITECTURE

The School Life Museum of the Municipality of Chania is the first Education Museum in Greece to have been established by distinguished scientists, museologists and experts on history of education. It also paved the way for the systematic and creative use of local volunteers who promote its vision and mission, through the creation of the Association of Friends of the School Life Museum (2005) which took place before the museum’s official opening.

THE VISION
The vision of the School Life Museum is the development of productive synergies within the community through multiple interpretations of cultural heritage and contemporary artistic creation.
Its aim is to ensure that every cultural and educational work would serve as an influential educational material and an interpretive medium in terms of value, which would turn educators – animators into creators as well as skilled and versatile users of innovative means and methods. A key component of its communication policy is the fostering of a lifelong learning mindset through the educational use of cultural heritage and contemporary artistic creation.

THE MISSION
Its mission is to promote the inextricable link between culture and education in terms of expression and communication, but also as drivers of collectiveness. Its purpose is to contribute in a creative way, to the upgrading of existing educational material and to the creation of a new framework for them; to allow for cultural goods and historical evidence to generate multiple readings and personal interpretations; to provide particular educational power to useful objects which are characterised by multiple interpretations and polysemy (as is the case with works of art); to bring together cultural heritage and contemporary artistic creation in order to enhance participation, experience, creation, expression and communication through a tailored and genuine interaction between the target groups and culture as well as with the educational process.