My wife and I are happy indeed that the greater and most important part of our Collection is exhibited for the first time in the Museum of Cycladic Art. We have both been ardent collectors since our youth. We collected textiles, embroideries, rare books, old maps -mainly of Crete- and bric-a-brac of all kinds. In recent years we have concentrated our interests on the ancient history of Crete, collecting works of the Minoan and the Greek civilization. Since 1978, with a permit from the Archaeological Service, we have been gradually collecting as many objects as we were able, a true labour of love. We are, of course, well aware that as collectors we are only responsible for the conservation and safekeeping of these pieces, and that no ancient artefact actually belongs to us. For though Greek collectors rescue precious antiquities from expatriation, they never acquire ownership of their collection, which essentially belongs to the Nation. (Konstantinos Mitsotakis)