Fodor's Expert Review The Chios Mastic Museum

The mastic shrub has dominated Chios life, economy, culture, and destiny for centuries, and its role is explained in depth in well-designed exhibits in a stunning glass, stone, and wood pavilion overlooking a wide sweep of mastic groves. Aside from learning about how the valuable resin is cultivated and processed, you'll see artifacts and photographs of village life and learn about the island's tumultuous history, including times when hoarding even a sliver of mastic gum was a crime punishable by death.