The Museum of the Romanian Peasant Woman

The Museum of the Romanian Peasant Woman is the only museum in Romania dedicated exclusively to women. The "Maramureș Woman's Museum", as it is also called, was opened to the public in 2001 and includes a household that, both through its interior and its exterior design, pays homage to women. The wooden house on a stone foundation, located in the courtyard, is a telling proof that the things taken care of with dedication and skill survive the time. It was built in 1720 and belonged to Ileana Chiş, the owner's wish being that after her demise, the house be transformed into a museum. The house has traditional household items and furniture, as well as an important textile heritage that includes folk costumes, wedding suits, masks, bags and other pieces that were found in the dowry of the girl, as well as decorative elements. The courtyard is, in turn, a universe of tradition, a ritual area that begins with the passage through the gate carved in Maramureș style, which describes the customs of these places through signs and symbols. On the pillars of the gate we can see a bride and bridesmaids, the rooster, which is also the symbol of the locality, the Dacian flag, the rendering of the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, as well as a group of women near a cradle, signifying the baptism. In the yard there is a wooden crucifix and a spindle, but also a group of statues that illustrate the woman in all stages of life, from childhood to old age. Another attraction is the tree in the yard, on whose branches the natives hang the housewife's pots, according to local tradition. At the top of the tree we find the red pot, reminiscent of Ileana Chiş, symbolizing that in the household there is a maiden girl.