Informations

You'll never run out of surprises!

Apart from its legendary hospitality, wonderful beaches, impressive mountain ranges beholding a dramatic and diverse landscape of gorges, hills, beaches, canyons, and passes, Albania hides an impressive cultural treasure trove. It's impossible for us to list every ancient city, citadel, museum or other remarkable place, but we've tried to put together a list of the country's most important museums!  Don't forget that in every city there's always something to visit, so be curious and get in touch with the locals. You'll always be well received and you'll never be at the end of your surprises!

 

Muzeu Historik Kombetar – National Historical Museum

As the most important museum in Albania, National Historical Museum aims to provide knowledge and appreciation of Albania’s history to the local, national and international public. It also aims to encourage dialogue among citizens about the Albanian past, present and future.

The Museum includes the following pavilions: Pavilion of Antiquity, Pavilion of the Middle Ages, Pavilion of Renaissance, Pavilion of Independence, Pavilion of Iconography, Pavilion of the National Liberation Antifascist War, Pavilion of Communist Terror, and Pavilion of Mother Teresa. (More information)

 

Bunk’Art 1 (Tiranë) 

Ever wondered what lengths a communist ruler would go to amid the constant paranoia & the threat of the enemy haunting them? Well, Bunk’Art 1 is five levels & 3000m2 of underground protective bunker, the product of Enver Hoxha’s fear of nuclear fallout. (More information)

 Bunk’Art 2 ( Tiranë) 

BUNK'ART 2 is the second phase of an historical-cultural project that is focused on the preservation of the collective memory and on telling the story of the communist regime, including the horrors of that regime. (More information)

 Shtëpia e Gjetheve (Tiranë)

The building known as the “House of Leaves” (so called because of the clambering plant covering its facade) has now returned to the Museum of Secret Surveillance. Opened on 23rd of May, it is the newest museum in Albania and certainly the most intriguing one that tries to narrate to young people and to foreigners, one of the darkest periods of the country’s history. (More information)

 The National gallery of Arts (Tiranë)

Showcasing the finest works of Albanian artists, the National Gallery of Arts boasts a large array of paintings in a multitude of styles, stemming from different periods. Some of these works perfectly portray art under the influence of government, telling a tale of Albania through creativity. (More information)

 Skanderbeg Museum (Krujë) 

The Skanderbeg museum is a wonderful insight for visitors into the importance of one of Albania’s most celebrated national heroes. The site is a must for history buffs, and anyone with an interest in the nation’s fascinating past! (More information)

 Site of Witnees and Memory (Shkodër)

Few are those places where the terror of the former communist dictatorship can be profoundly understood in this day and age. One of them is the Site of Witness and Memory, a museum of remembrance dedicated to the prisoners and victims of the former regime.(More information)

Marubi National Photographu Museum (Shkodër)

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. How much worth then would be found in Marubi’s collection of 400,000 hauntingly-beautiful photographs of Albanian life, spanning from 1850 until today? (More information)

 Gallery of Arts in Shkodra (Shkodër)

The gallery of one of the most historically artistic cities in Albania is a rich yet intimate introduction to the art and culture of the entire country. (More information)

Diocesan Museum Shkodër Pult (Shkodër) 

With a multi-language audio guide system and the weight of thousands of years of the history of Christianity in Albania, the Diocesan Museum Shkodër-Pult is open to all those who are fascinated by the singular story of religion in Albania. (More information)

 Durrës archaeological Museum (Durrës)

The Durrës Archaeological Museum (Muzeu Arkeologjik) in Durrës, Albania, is the largest archaeological museum in the country. One of the most visited museums in the country, the Archaeological Museum in the ancient coastal city of Durrës is an ideal and comprehensive introduction to Albania’s rich history throughout the millennia. North of the museum, are the 6th-century Byzantine walls, constructed after the Visigoth invasion of 481.

The bulk of the museum consists of artifacts found in the nearby ancient site of Dyrrhachium and includes an extensive collection from the Ancient Greek, Hellenistic and Roman periods. Items of major note include Roman funeral steles and stone sarcophagi, an elliptical colourful mosaic measuring 17 by 10 feet, referred to as The Beauty of Durrës, and a collection of miniature busts of Venus, testament to the time when Durrës was a centre of worship of the goddess. (More information)

 Aleksander Moisiu’s House-Museum (Durrës)

The museum is located near the Durrës Amphitheater. The road leading to it is especially beautiful as it seems to lean on the old byzantine walls of the historic city. The structure is of the typical Albanian architecture of the last century, distinctive in its harmonious design made of stone and wood. (More information)

 Onufri Museum (Berat)

Onufri painted some of the most important, divine, and beautiful religious painting in Albania, and there’s nowhere better to see his unforgettable tones of colour than here in the churches of Berat, and the museum dedicated to this artistic legend. (More information)

Solomon Museum Berat (Berat) 

If you want to learn a bit about the Jewish history in Albania, and the unique way in which local Albanians saved Jews during the Holocaust (unlike the other European countries) - this is the only place to do it. (More information)

 National Ethnographic Museum Of Berat – (Berat) 

The National Ethnographic Museum of Berat, situated within a striking, typical 18th century two-story Berat residence, is a pleasant immersion into the lifestyle traditions of this fascinating town. (More information)

 National Museum of Independence in Vlorë ( Vlorë) 

As the building which hosted the operations of the very first Albanian government, the Museum of Independence in Vlorë is strategically positioned in a location that testifies to its significance, near the port, with a beautiful view of the sea. (More information)

 Apolonia Archeological Parc (Fier) 

If we could choose the one place where you will have your most memorable encounter with history in Albania, it would have to be the ancient city of Apollonia, founded in the sixth century B.C. Situated in southwestern Albania, about 13 miles from the city of Fier, this city was built by Greek colonizers on the lands of the Taulanti Illyrian tribe. (More information)

 Butrinti Archeologic Parc (Sarandë)

- https://www.visitsaranda.net/see/butrint-national-park/

Butrint’s name (originaly Buthrotum in Latin) was derived from the word buthrotos, which means “wounded bull”. This is based on a Greek mythological legend, in which the offering of a bull failed on the island of Corfu. The bull escaped and swam to the mainland, which was considered a sign of the gods and the Greek decided to build a settlement at this place. According to archaeologist the earliest evidence of settled occupation dates back between the 10th and 8th centuries BC. (More information)

 Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokastra (Gjirokastër)

This ethnographic museum and house of former Albanian leader Enver Hoxha, provides a rich insight into the lives led by the upper-classes in the 19th and 20th centuries, and offers an interesting insight into a key period of Albania’s history. (More information)

 Ismail Kadare House (Gjirokaster) 

The house of the world-famous Albanian writer, Ismail Kadare, has been turned into a museum, and also is open to the public. This is where Ismail Kadare was born and spent his childhood.

The house will be familiar to everyone who has read his book ‘Chronicle in Stone”, in which Kadare describes every corner of this house. During the visit you will imagine Kadare as a little boy, sitting close to the windows and witnessing the terrors of World War II. (More information)

 National Museum of Medieval Art (Korçë)

This exhilarating museum perfectly preserves the glory of the medieval art works that lie within, which are displayed in a contrastingly modern architectural space, for the perfect blend of old with the new. (More information)

 Museum of the First Albanian School (Korçë)

A requisite stop in Korça is the Museum of the First Albanian School. Located across “Unknown Soldier,” its yard is decorated by the ABC obelisk, the museum’s symbol. Opened in March 7th, 1887, this first secular school in the country is locally known as “Mësonjtorja.”  Here, the visitor can find copies of the original Albanian ABC-books as well as a model of a traditional classroom. (More information)

 Opera, theatre, cinema, Albania has never stopped surprising us!

 

If you love culture and want to know a little more about this facet of Albania, we invite you to discover some of the country's cultural 'dinosaurs'!

From opera to theatre, cinema to circus, books to children's cultural life, Albania has more than enough to surprise us. Of course, once again it's impossible to mention everything, but here are a few discoveries to give you an idea of what awaits you in the land of the eagles. To satisfy your curiosity, we have prepared a brief description and useful links for two of Tirana's prestigious institutions, followed by a list of Albania's main theatres, cinemas and other cultural venues. Enjoy your visit!   

 National Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Tiranë)

The National Theater of Opera and Ballet is a temple of Albanian and International cultivated music. It is the only national institution of this kind that can be compared with the best theatres of the Balkan region and beyond, in the artistic and quality level. It has produced generations of artists, who have left a mark in the Albanian and International stage.

 The Albanian Philharmonic, including the choir, the symphony orchestra, the opera and ballet troupe, the conductor and a small group of administrative and technical employers, was established in 1950.  The Philharmonic developed its activity in the building where today is the National Theatre and later in 1953 was transferred to the building where today is the Academy of Fine Arts. The development of arts and culture in the country brought the necessity of creating the State Conservatory, the first vocational school that provides the largest musical institution in the country. (More information)

 National Theatre of Albania (Tiranë)

The National Theatre of Albania is the most important theatre institution in Albania and his purpose is to produce the highest level artistic theatre production and to develop the Albanian dramaturgy. The years 60-70 were considered as the golden age of the Albanian theatre. The artistic troupe of those years established the professional theatre of Albania.

Presently, the artistic troupe and the administration of the National Theatre has moved into another building called "The New Stage arTurbina", which has two stages with the capacity of 150 seats and 400 seats. (More information)

Lists and contact details for the country's main theatres

Teatri Kombëtar Eksperimental “Kujtim Spahivogli”

Address: Rruga “S. Toptani”, Tiranë – Albania

E-mail: [email protected]

Teatri “Migjeni” Shkodër, Adress: Sheshi Demokracia 1, Shkodër, Albanie

Teatri “Aleksandër Moisiu” Durrës, Adress: Rruga Aleksander Goga, Durrës, Albania 

Teatri « Skampa » Elbasan, Adress : Elbasan – Albania 

Teatri « Bylis » Fier, Adress : Fier – Albania 

Teatri « Andon Zako Cajupi » Korçë, Adress: Korçë – Albania

Teatri “Zihni Sako” Gjirokastër, Adress: Gjirokastër – Albania

Teatri “Petro Marko” Vlorë, Adress: Vlorë – Albania

Cinema in Albania

There are currently three major film distribution companies in Albania. These are Kinema Millennium (Millennium cinema), Imperial and Cineplexx. It has to be said that Netflix and company have all but destroyed cinema in Albania, but despite everything the cinemas are still open, especially in Tirana. To find a cinema near your holiday destination, ask the locals or the local authorities.