The Theophilos Museum was built in 1964 in Varia, a suburb of Mytilene, where the popular artist was born and spent his childhood years. It was built by the famous Mytilenian publisher of art books in Paris, Stratis Eleftheriades (Teriade).

In 1965, Teriade donated the Museum to the Municipality of Mytilene, together with 86 of Theophilos' paintings from his own private collection. Since then, it has been operating as a municipal museum.

The building is built in the dusty pink local stone, which harmonizes prefectly with the extensive olive grove around it. It consists of four connecting rooms in which are displayed 86 paintings by Theophilos. Their subjects are inspired from folk art, history and mythology. They also depict everyday scenes, costumes, landscapes, etc.