It was built in 1902 to house the findings from the Putrefaction Pit of 425/426 BC, which was discovered in 1898 on the islet of Rheneia by D.

[1] It is one of the oldest museums in Greece and was designed by Alexandros Lykakis and funded by the Ministry of Education and the Archaeological Society of Athens.

Its collections include exhibits dating from the Prehistoric to the Hellenistic period.

The original Neoclassical building underwent refurbishments and expansions in the 1930s and 1960s and the large eastern room was added in 1972.

Its most famous item is the large vase produced in Tinos, showing scenes from the fall of Troy.