Moldova's National Ethnography and Natural History Museum awarded Order of Honour at 130th anniversary of foundation

Chisinau, 24 October /MOLDPRES/ - More activities today took place at the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum, on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the institution’s foundation.   

The events started with the inauguration of an exhibition titled, National Ethnography and Natural History Museum – 130 Years of National History and Culture, and the launch of a monograph titled, National Ethnography and Natural History Museum on the modern and contemporary period, volume I,; the authors Mihai Ursu and Constantin Gh. Ciobanu, as well as of a postcard.    

According to scientific employee Varvara Buzila, the exhibition comprises 130 pieces of the institution’s heritage collection. For his part, the museum’s scientific secretary, Andrei Prohin, said that the volume launched offered an evolutive wide prospect of the institution since the first exhibition till nowadays.    

A festive meeting was subsequently held; attending the event were Education, Culture and Research Minister Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei, the state secretary in the culture sector, Victoria Nagy Vajda, presidential adviser Corneliu Popovici,  historians and curators from Moldova and Romania.    

In his speech, the institution’s director, Petru Vicol, stressed that the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum was the oldest museum institution, with the most beautiful building, but which urgently needs consolidation works. Vicol also said that this was a museum with an exceptional ethnographic and natural heritage, which needs better conditions of preservation and maintenance.   

”The first scientific publication of this area – The Bulletin of National Natural History Museum – appeared in 1926. This is a museum with a permanent exhibition titled, Man. Nature. Culture, inaugurated in 1994, and the concept of which was nominated among ten finalists of the European museum competition of 1998. This is also a museum which comprises a historical district of the Chisinau city, where all the heritage buildings preserved intact, especially the headquarters of Bessarabia’s Country Council. This district needs to be revitalized and turned to good account, really becoming a centre of national history and culture just in the heart of the capital. At the same time, this is a museum whose employees decisively contributed to the working out of those three files registered in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: singing carols in groups of men, Romanian carpets and the Martisor (trinket worn in honour of 1 March),” the institution’s director emphasized.        

Petru Vicol voiced hope that the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum would preserve its distinguished place in the country’s cultural and scientific apace. The museum complex will be revitalized and restored, continuing to be a scientific cultural centre and the heritage will be preserved and maintained in good conditions. Vicol also said that a museum of popular architecture would be eventually made on the territory of the Village Museum.   

Education, Culture and Research Minister Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei came up with a congratulatory message on behalf of Moldova’s government and the competent ministry. According to the official, the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum is a place of culture, of preserved history, a living history for children and teenagers. “In his speech, Petru Vicol said that the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum is a phenomenon a state of spirit. I would like this phenomenon to be propagated, to be a model for other culture institutions,” Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei noted. The minister handed merit diplomas on behalf of the government and the ministry to a group of curators.     

Presidential adviser Corneliu Popovici assured the museum’s management that  urgent measures would be taken at the top leadership to restore the museum spaces. The official read a decree signed by President Igor Dodon, according to which the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum is awarded the Order of Honour.

The actions culminated with a music recital given by composer Eugen Doga and folk band Stefan Voda, led by Tudor Ungureanu.

The National Ethnography and Natural History Museum was founded following the closing of the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition from Bessarabia, staged on 24-25 October 1889. The museum appeared at an initiative by Baron Alexandru Stuart, the head of the Country Council of the Bessarabia Province and the first director of the museum. Stuart wanted to create a collection of pieces permanently exhibited to public, at the country council’s institution. During the 130 years of history, the museum has witnessed more bad times and challenges, as well as outstanding progress and achievements.