Dumbrava Forest is a huge green oasis, which lies on an area of 980 hectares in south-western of Sibiu city, a generous gift of nature.
It is the preferred entertainment place of inhabitants since the 18th century. A road crosses in long the forest, heading from Sibiu toward mountain resort Paltinis. On an area of 100 hectares there are targets of great interest cultural, objectives of the Museum of People's Civilization Astra.
The idea to found here a museum was born in 1940 and belongs to Romulus Vuia, but until its completion have been 23 years.
Dumbrava in Sibiu is a dream landscape. Since1966 the Dutch scholar Bernet Kempers named the museum the most beautiful open air museum in Europe as a rich heritage and as original in conception theme. It is the largest open air museum in Romania and among the most representative institutions of its kind in Europe.
Space is crossed by 10 km from alleys, with many places of relaxation. The old Romanian villages are presented here in two permanent exhibitions.
A large number of houses (340) were brought here from different parts of the country, also original installation of industries peasant and traditional means of transport. The more than 35,240 objects helps exemplifies all areas of activity specific to the village, such as agriculture, livestock farming, bee-keeping, fishing and hunting. Here is a Rustic Inn built in 1922, which operated in Harghita county until 1958. Museum of Traditional People's Civilization ASTRA, most large open air museum in Romania and the second largest in Europe, is considered by many world famous personalities, as the patrimony and its ambitious projects, the most important museal institution at European level.
The huge space has allowed to the museum to draft a thematic which exemplifies traditional folk civilization on the entire country. More than 140 monuments were composed the museum and the heritage have been exhibited on five thematic areas (Traditional Food, Handicrafts,Textile industries, households and hydraulic, The public utility monuments , Traditional transport). All this creates an idyllic world of cultural activities and making the museum a witness for creation of the Romanian popular space.
