Treasures of the Astra Museum in Sibiu

Astra Museum Guided Tour

The Astra Museum is one of the most famous and important institutions in Transylvania, but especially in Sibiu county. Founded at the initiative of the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Culture, it opened its doors in 1905. The main reason was the desire of the Romanians here to shape their ethnocultural identity in a multicultural space. In 2001 it became the “ASTRA” National Museum Complex with the richest ethnomuseum structure in the country. It is also in the Michelin Green Guide, and here you can visit open-air museums and more, go to the ASTRA Film or discover the secrets of handicrafts and the crafts of the Romanian ancestors.

A part of the Romanian Culture and History

There’s a lot to see here, from actual households to tools and decorative items reflecting Romanian culture and history. You can walk, cycle or take a carriage ride.

If you would teleported back to the late 17th – early 19th century, you would probably still be hanging out at the bowling alley or having a good time, or, why not, roasting a fish, something, on the stove of the cooker in the summer kitchen of the household in the Danube Delta.

Wind and water mill sector

A first impact with the fascinating folk technique we had in the area of wind and water mills, perhaps the most popular attractions of the open-air museum from my point of view. In fact, a mill from Hunedoara County, the village of Dăbâca, was the first exhibit in the museum. I didn’t have enough patience to linger in the wagon pavilion, so I whirled my way to the mill area and couldn’t resist the temptation to enter almost all of them to get a closer look at the mechanisms driving the millstones.

Over 30 mills, covering over 23 types of mills are on display in the museum. Although they are not put into operation so as not to damage them (old gears, high tensions, etc.), most of the mills are functional.

The open-air museum takes about a day’s worth of light, that is if you feel like experiencing the countryside properly.

Why not take the Astra Museum Sibiu Guided Tour?

We recommend the Astra Museum of Traditional Folk Civilisation as a must-see if you’re planning to visit the Sibiu area. And we recommend it in late spring – early summer, when everything is bright green, encouraging you to add a splash of colour to the grey cityscape you’re used to. Find more details about the Astra Museum Sibiu Guided Tour here.