The History Museum in Ramnicu Valcea is hosted inside an old and representative building, the "Clock School", built in the 19th century and deemed suitable for such an important cultural institution. The exhibits are presented to the public in a chronological manner, in several rooms where you can discover step by the step the various ages, moments and objects from the region. As it should be, the exhibition opens with several interesting prehistorical presentations, proving that live and civilisation began in this region in those very times. Although the exhibits are not many or very diverse, they are nevertheless very interesting for specialists and regular visitors alike.
The next section of the museum is the one dedicated to the Roman period in the history of Valcea, and this time the artefacts are more numerous and diverse, of special interest being the collection of silver coins, discovered decades ago in the region. The Middle Ages times are featured in the History Museum in rather large manner, as the importance of the local noble families and villages, the relation-ships and rivalries, the founding and evolution of settlements and so on.
Most of the works featured in this part of the museum are highly valuable especially for historians, as they offer a much more thorough image of times gone bye. Besides the coins, tools, jewelry and weapons, the section also has a briliant display of manuscripts and documents, both original and copies, one of the richest selections of this kind. There is also a collection of art, dating from the 16th - 17th century, made in Brasov by famous masters of that time or traded for in other cities. You can continue the visit by discovering what the locals did in 1821 and 1848, two major years in the building of the Romanian modern state, then in the Independence War of 1877 - 1878, through the collection of weapons, documents, arts, coins, tools and so on. There is also a large portion of the permanent exhibition dedicated to the cultural and education interest of the locals, focused on the works and life of Anton Pann, Gib Mihaescu, Cecilia Cutescu-Stork and so on.
There are many more to see in this history museum, and it is surely a good idea to take the time and visit it.
2008-03-18
