[2] The exact date that the building of the original museum was constructed is unknown although it was mentioned in writing as standing during the great earthquake of 1595 and being the largest in the city.

The museum contains a substantial collection of Minoan and Roman artifacts excavated from around the city of Chania and the surrounding regional unit, including pieces from the ancient cities of Kydonia, Idramia, Aptera, Polyrinia, Kissamos, Elyros, Irtakina, Syia and Lissos, and also from Axos and Lappa in Rethymno regional unit.

[6] The museum contains a wide range of coins, jewellery, vases, sculpture, clay tablets with inscriptions, stelae and mosaics.

The Archaeological Museum of Chania also has an ancient Cycladic style vessel from Episkopi, Kissamos and a number of busts including one of Roman emperor Hadrian, found at the Dictynaion sanctuary in 1913 and a late Minoan sarcophagus from the necropolis of Armeni, dated to 1400–1200 BC.

There is also a spherical flask, noted for its unusual ceramic type, dated to the Late Minoan III period.