The lentisk resin produced by the mastic tree only grows on the northern Aegean island of Chios. Until the refugee crisis drew attention to the picturesque island as an entry point to the European Union, Chios was known mainly for its mastic. The beneficial qualities of the resin were world-famous, whereas the mastic-producing tradition was passed down from generation to generation, becoming a central focus of the architecture, villages and habits of the people. The history of mastic on Chios and how it has influenced the island is displayed at the Mastic Museum of Chios, the eighth such cultural facility created by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation’s museum network.

The museum, fittingly located in Southern Chios, where the Mastichochoria (mastic villages) are located focuses on the tradition of mastic cultivation. Open halls promote the history of mastic, and how it has been produced and processed through the years. The unique natural product is showcased through several categories.