ASTRA National Museum Complex

The ASTRA National Museum Complex (Museum Of Traditional Folk Civilization) was established in 1963 and is the largest open-air ethnography exhibit in Europe. The ASTRA Museum is based on the "living museum" concept, aiming to salvage, conserve and showcase traditional folk culture. It is one of the most important institutions of this kind in Europe. Throughout the year, the Museum hosts fairs, craftsmen's workshops, performances, festivals, cooking demonstrations, all with a folk/traditional character. ASTRA Museum is covering an area of 96 hectares, in the heart of the Dumbrava Sibiului nature reserve. The Museum is home to over 400 traditional architecture and technology monuments, together with thousands of other ethnographic objects.

For all its impressive merits, The ASTRA Museum is regarded as one of the premier village museums in the world. No wonder the reputed Dutch curator Bernet Kempers, stated that the ASTRA Museum in Sibiu is the “most beautiful open-air museum in Europe”.

ASTRA Museum

What is so unique at Astra National Museum Complex?

What is truly fascinating about ASTRA Museum is that it contains a vast collection of buildings from all over Romania and focuses on old peasant technologies such as waterwheels and windmills powering forges, presses, fuelling mills and so. There is also a traditional restaurant here and an excellent shop stocking books and folklore items including a range of woven and embroidered textiles and traditional costumes. But there aren’t only things to see within this amazing complex, there are also many activities to enjoy. In 2007 the ethnic-technical park was inaugurated as part of the museum. The park hosts events and activities which give people the chance to have direct contact with heritage values. Some of these heritage objects are miniatures and children can touch them and play with them.

There’s also a component called the European Village which is located separately from the ethnographic exhibition. The European Village already features a Swedish granary made by the students of an architecture faculty from Sweden. This model will be taken by all European Union countries in the sense that students from these countries will build a wooden construction representative of each European country.

Visiting hours:
Summer Hours (April-September)
Monday to Sunday, from 10.00 to 18.00 hours - (Monday - without visiting the interior).\

Winter hours (October to March)
Monday-Friday, 9.00 to 17.00 hours - (no interior visit) Wednesday to Sunday: 9:00 – 17:00.

Ticket Prices:
Adult: 15,00 lei
Senior: 7,50 lei
Pupils/students: 3,50 lei