Active cooperation and new museum in the medieval castle

Northwestern Albania

Municipality of Shkodra


Shkodra Historical Museum has a long-standing practice in organizing cultural and promotional events.

Active cooperation and new museum in the medieval castle

Shkodra Historical Museum has a long-standing practice in organizing cultural and promotional events. Although it has a small staff, it permanently cooperates with other institutions, intellectuals and other museum and art lovers, which has resulted in a number of projects. During the first years after the fall of the communist regime, Shkodra was extremely active in establishing cooperation with institutions from nearby countries, especially Italy. Lately, the museum has participated in the Balkan Museums Network, and also collaborated with the Stockholm National Museum within the CHwB project (Cultural Heritage without Borders).

The main science-promotional activity with the theme of cultural heritage takes place during the symposium "Shkodra through the centuries". Each symposium resulted in published scientific proceedings, altogether 12 volumes up to this day. The museum occasionally publishes the journal Kumtari, and over the past years promotional tourist materials have also been printed (guidebooks, brochures, postcards). 
 
Shkodra Historical Museum plays a significant role in the development of cultural tourism of the city and region, and AdriaMuse project is yet another step toward attaining such a goal. Last year the museum had eight thousand visitors, and this year estimates suggest that there will be about nine thousand visitors. Presently, the exhibition area with the permanent collection of traditional figurative art is being expanded. Also, there is an incentive to start a new museum in the medieval castle Drishti (Drivasto).