Ethnographic Museum building
Kavaje, – (K.I Cultural Monument)
The Ethnographic Museum in Kavaja is located in the Skuraj district of the city of Kavaja. It is surrounded by other relatively low houses, one, two or three stories. It is easily accessible via the main road “Skuraj” and is surrounded by a low brick wall and steel railings. It was built at the end of the century. XVIII and the beginning of the century. 19th century by the Arkaxhi family and was opened as a museum in 1971.
After the complete restoration of the building, the newly formed museum was given the status of a Cultural Monument in 1973.
The Ethnographic Museum of Kavaja is one of the most characteristic buildings in the area. It belongs to the typology of traditional buildings where the use of space is designed around a number of verandas, with three living rooms.
The dwelling has a symmetrical development where the axis of symmetry passes through the middle of the front porch, which is covered and has a portico and is supported by seven wooden columns.
In the museum there is a great variety of traditional handicraft items, produced by local craftsmen in ceramics, copper and various textiles, which represent the traditions of the country.
There are many authentic and valuable artifacts, including folk costumes and other ethnographic artifacts dating from the Illyrian period, 1400-1600 (Early Middle Ages), 1831-1912 (Renaissance), 1912-1939 (Independence), 1945-1990 (Period Socialist).
The object has been restored by the EU4Culture Program, one of the largest cultural heritage programs of the European Union which is being implemented in Albania by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).