The War Museum of Chania is housed in the Army Camp Tzambanaki, at the crossing of the streets I. Sfakianakis and Tzanakakis next to the Municipal Garden. The building in which it is housed was Italian barracks and was build in 1870 with the designs of Italian architect Maguso.

The War Museum of Athens, in the framework of the fulfillment of its mission and in cooperation with local bodies in the city of Chania, founded a branch, that was opened in July 1995.

The mission of the Museum is the to collect, keep, preserve and exhibit war objects and other objects of the period mainly between 1821 and 1940, that concern the participation of the Cretans in the struggle for Macedonia and Northern Epirus (1903 – 1922), the Balkan Wars (1912 – 13), the Asia Minor Campaign (1919 – 1922), World Wars I and II, the Battle of Crete and the National Resistance during the German Occupation (1941 – 45).

The building and the army camp Tzombanaki, with an area of 2,646 sq.m., belongs to the Estate Company of the State, which ceded it to the War Museum in order to house the War Museum of Chania. The branch of Chania therefore belongs administratively to the War Museum of Athens and therefore to the Ministry of National Defense. It is managed by an Administrative Council of 6 members.