Top 5 Most Visited Museums in 2018 - Into Albania

Top 5 Most Visited Museums in 2018

If you want to have an insight into the mysterious and variegated past of Albanian history and culture, the five museums below are the ones to visit in Albania:

1. National Historical Museum – Tirana

The country’s entire past is condensed in the artifacts displayed in this museum, a place which allows a rare journey into the past of Albania and Albanians. From the prehistoric period and Illyrian traces to medieval art and the other succeeding stages of the Albanian nation and state, the museum’s pieces guide the viewer through this country’s interweaved historical periods. The museum’s building with its visually dominant mosaic, testifying to the communist era, represent an immediately recognizable element of the Skanderbeg Square in Tirana.

The National Hictorical Museum - Tiranë

National Historical Museum, Tirana, photo by Intoalbania

2. National Museum of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg – Kruja

Built in the Castle of Kruja, the symbol of the resistance against the Ottomans during the Skanderbeg era, this museum could have not been located in a more fitting place in order to document Albanian history, generally, and that of Skanderbeg, specifically. The reproductions of the helmet and sword belonging to the national hero are displayed beneath a mural that celebrates the victories and successes of the most revered and renowed figure of all Albanian history.

The National Museum of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg - Krujë

National Museum of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, Kruja, photo by Intoalbania

3. National Iconographic Museum of Onufri – Berat

The museum is dedicated to the most important name in the medieval art of Albania, Onufri, the renowned craftsmen of icons. Built on the Castle of Berat, within the “The Assumption of Saint Mary” church, the sublime presence of Onufri’s icons and his beautiful, characteristic red hue will catapult the visitor to another time from which it is difficult to re-emerge.

The National Iconographic Museum of Onufri - Berat

National Iconographic Museum of Onufri, Berat, photo by Intoalbania

4. Archaeological Museum – Durrës

As one of the most important cities of Albanian antiquity, some of the rarest archaeological discoveries in the country have been made in Durres. A portion of these findings are presently displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Durres, where the visitor will be able to see artifacts over 2700 years old, statues of emperors or amphorae found in water and other important objects. The museum’s guide will help you follow these objects’ journey throughout history before making their way into their final home.

The Archaeological Museum - Durrës

Archaeological Museum, Durrës, photo by Intoalbania

5. Marubi National Museum of Photography – Shkodra

The 500,000 negatives dating back to 1856 make Marubi’s legacy a true treasure in terms of Albania’s history. A great number of the most important photographs are displayed in a uniquely modern way at the Marubi Museum of Shkodra, a place which truly becomes a journey through the portraits, traditions and Albanian architecture of the last centuries.

The Marubi National Museum of Photography - Shkodra

Marubi National Museum of Photography, Shkodra, photo by Intoalbania