National Village Museum (Muzeul National al Satului)

Description:

• Showcasing Romanian rural architecture since 1936, this open-air museum is frequently referred to as one of the country's best (although Sibiu's is bigger); if you're not visiting any rural regions, it may well provide some insight into the simple, unencumbered lives led by those living in Romania's bucolic communities. Visitors roam through a selection of 85 different houses, huts, windmills, churches, and outhouses that have been collected from around the country to showcase the depth of variety and architectural beauty of ordinary homesteads and dwelling; most of the constructions are thatch-roofed and built of wood, clay, or mud. Divided by region, the museum's overgrown lawn-fringed concrete pathways take you from Transylvania to Dobrogea to Oltenia and Moldavia in a relatively short space of time. The audio guide is a useful tool for making sense of the different architectural styles, even if the voice recording is rushed. Be warned that although the museum opens at 9am, this is also the time for staff to start cleaning, and the majority of houses are unlocked for the public only after around 11am. Note that the souvenir shop is not as good as the one at the Peasant Museum.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010