Romanian Peasant Museum in Bucharest, Romania, Celebrates 100 years

Romanian Peasant Museum Celebrates 100 years
Nine O’Clock October 29, 2006
by George Grigoriu

Bucharest – Romanian Peasant Museum celebrated on Friday one century of existence, one hundred candles being lit on a huge birthday cake, which was then eaten with great pleasure by the children, young persons and oil persons who participated in the celebration of 100 years.

The party started in front of MTR, where the old friends of the museum, as well as several young persons or just foot passengers, gathered, attracted by the folk band conducted by Mitica Cocean, brought to downtown Bucharest particularly for this occasion. At this first century of existence, an anniversary medal “Carol I” was issued, which was awarded to over 200 persons – in a sign of “external friendship”, as the director of the Romanian Peasant Museum, Vintila Mihailescu, outlined. He underlined that the royal decree on the establishment of the museum – the first museum of folk art was issued on October 1 (old style) 1906.

The list of those receiving medals included several persons who worked for the museum long periods, those who supported the institution, along with diplomats, politicians or employees of Ministry of Culture.

This museum has been recently decorated by Romania’s President, Traian Basescu, and Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs has prepared a normative draft according to which Romanian Peasant Museum will be awarded the title of national museum along with two other museums from the country – Bran Museum and Museum of Eastern Carpathians from Sfantu Gheorghe.

Romanian Peasant Museum has a first level role within the context of Romanian cultural life, enjoying recognition at international level. Being active since February 5, 1990 under this name, the museum continues long lasting museum traditions. They date back since 1875, when following Titu Maiorescu proposition, they laid the foundations, by National Museum of Antiquities, of the first section for textile arts, with “objects manufactured in the countryside: garments, carpets, clothes, etc.”, from where the treasury – collections of the museum have preserved, until our days, several objects which have a huge documentary value.

Later on, on October 1, 1906, an autonomous museum of the peasant art was set up. In 1912, on the establishments of ex State Monetary Bank and Mavrogheni Palace, the first foundation of “Museum from the Avenue” is laid, in order to “honour the ancient art of our ancestors, with a shelter that is worthy of its value”, as the document signed by King Carol I mentions, engraved at the basis of the building.

After 1990, place under the high patronage of the plastic artist Horia Bernea, Romanian Peasant Museum becomes a genuine segment of the national memory and biography, whose activity has been recognised by several national and international awards.

At the 100 years since its establishment, Romanian Peasant Museum has a valuable national and international portfolio.