In the center of Heraklion, close to the Archaeological Museum is a Museum of the Battle of Crete. The museum was founded by the municipality of Heraklion in 1994 and dedicated to the defense of Crete and the popular resistance during the Second World War. The aim of the museum is to collect, protect and demonstration of historical relics 1941-1945 properly, as well as the documentation and dissemination of information about the people's struggle during the Battle of Crete and the German-Italian occupation.

The museum exhibition presents thousands of original photographs, paintings and drawings of the Battle for Crete and popular resistance, about 200 books, monographs, essays historical events from 1941 to 1945, hundreds of documents and newspaper articles. The museum also presents a variety of subjects related to the war: weapons, shape, various accessories, household items and much more.

The bulk of the exhibits covers the "Battle of Crete" in May 1941. This battle is one of the largest in the history of World War II airborne operation and is also known as "Operation Mercury". The main objective of the German invaders were the displacement of the UK from the Mediterranean Sea and the establishment of strategic control over the Mediterranean basin. The organizer of the people's militia was a British archaeologist who worked for British intelligence, John Pendlebury. Despite the numerous losses, the Germans won the battle.

The museum has its own research center, where staff are focused on the collection of archival materials of war from different countries (1940-1945) and their translation. The activities of the museum is aimed at attracting the attention of the younger generation in the history of the Cretan people and the awareness of the destructive power of war.