It is located at the highest point of the central settlement of Chora, the area of the "Kastro" (castle). Reaching it is a unique experience on its own since the potential visitor has to cross the picturesque narrow streets of the old city that follow the local island architecture. The museum is housed in a well-preserved Venetian building that dates from the 17th century and stands for its rare minimal architecture.
The exhibits range chronologically from the New Stone Age (Neolithic Age) until the Early Christian Period (5300 BC - 500 AD). It covers the Early Cycladic period through the findings of the local excavations that took place during the last decades. The terrace of the museum hosts a mosaic found in a house of the 3rd century BC that depicts a half-naked female figure riding a sea monster. While the numerous its artifacts dealing with the Cycladic Era reveal the deep minimalistic notion of this ancient civilization of the Aegean.