At another of the best small museums in Athens, visitors get to know authentic Greek music using headphones and visual displays. Most of the music is dominated by the sounds of tambourines, Cretan lyres, lutes, pottery drums, and—always—keening clarinets. As an extra bonus, the museum is steps from the excellent Platanos taverna, so it's possible to alternate between the pleasures of food, drink, and music. It isn't just for tourists: Once when I was here, an elderly Greek gentleman listened intently to some music, transcribed it, stepped out into the courtyard, and played it on his own violin. The shop has a wide selection of CDs and cassettes of recordings not widely available elsewhere. If you are fond of tortoises, be sure to peek at the ones wandering contentedly through the garden, where they occasionally bump into a sleeping cat. The facility also mounts concerts, so check to see if one's happening during your stay in Athens.