Muzee

Born in 1895, Ilie Lazăr distinguished himself as a lawyer and, above all, as a politician. He fought in the First World War, after which he was a member of the Romanian National Party in Hungary and Transylvania and then a deputy on behalf of the National Peasant Party. Dr. Ilie Lazăr is one of the historical personalities from these lands who contributed to the accomplishment of the Great Union, being delegated to the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia. The memorial house from Giulești is also related to the historical period of the Great Union, here being summoned the members of the Maramureș delegation who then signed the union of Maramureș with Wallachia. The building, which is a monument of traditional architecture, was erected in 1826 and originally belonged to the Greek Catholic archpriest Vasile Mihalyi, and was later inherited by the Lazarus family. The house with oak soles and walls made of spruce beams combined in a "blockbau" system respects the traditional Maramures typology. Those who cross the threshold of the boyar house with six rooms will discover documents, photographs and manuscripts from the Union period, as well as an exhibition of local ethnography.

Elie Wiesel Memorial House is a special place that honors the memory of one of the most famous personalities of Maramureș. The first attempts to evoke the culture of Maramureș Jews took place in the early 70's, when the Maramureș Village Museum wished to represent the Jewish culture, an initiative that materialized through the restoration and arrangement of two houses that belonged to Jewish families. After the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in 1986 to Professor Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the concentration camps that took the life of millions of Jews, efforts were made for many years to turn the house where he was born into a museum. The Elie Wiesel Memorial House, which opened its doors to the public only in 2002, is located right in the house where the famous novelist, playwright, essayist and memorialist lived until the age of 15, in one of the old Jewish neighborhoods in Sighetu-Marmației. After experiencing the horrors of Jews and other minority groups during World War II, Elie Wiesel published nearly 40 volumes describing the inhuman treatment of the victims of the Holocaust in Nazi extermination camps. In the rooms of the memorial house are exhibited pieces of furniture and decor that belonged to Jewish families, but also a reconstruction of Elie Wiesel's desk, along with documents and photographs on the life of the memorialist. Also, one of the rooms of the house evokes the consequences of the Vienna Dictate, which led to the deportation of Jews from Maramureș and one room presents the cultural relations that Elie Wiesel had with other personalities of the Jewish community in Sighetu Marmației. The courtyard of the house was arranged as a space for recreation and silence, a good place to contemplate the cruel truths revealed inside the museum.

The hero-poet, Ion Șugariu, was born in 1914 in Băița and has distinguished himself throughout his life by his important publishing activity, highlighted by his collaboration with well-known publications, at national level. His debut poem, "Hymn to youth", was published in 1934 in the "Observatorul" magazine. During his university studies at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy, he was appointed President of the Refugee Students Association. During the Second World War, Ion Șugariu was forced to give up his career in order to serve his country, initially as a reserve officer of a training school, and later as a member of an Infantry Regiment. The poet passed away during the horrors of war in Czechoslovakia, where he had remained, after being sent to Hungary in 1944. He left behind an important wartime manuscript, a diary describing the emotional impact of the battlefield experience. The house that today bears his name was donated to the state in 1976 by Floarea Șugar and was in the patrimony of the Maramureș County Museum until 2008, when it entered into the administration of the Local Council of Tăuții-Măgherăuș. Those who visit the small parental home of the talented poet and journalist have the opportunity to discover, in one of the rooms, documents, letters and manuscripts describing the author's life, and in the second room, a decoration specific to the traditional homes of miners in this area.

The modest wooden house reproduces the unmistakable style of the master cross-maker, who made the name of Maramureș known throughout the world. The carpenter Stan Ioan Pătraș was only 14 years old when he started to transform pieces of oak into works of art, perfecting his style over time. Thus, the crosses he sculpted were no longer reminiscent of dull funerary monuments, his art combining folk craft with painting, sculpture and poetry. The vivid colors, the sculpted figures, but also the famous epitaphs that speak ironically about the fate of the dead, adorn more than 700 crosses made by Stan Ioan Pătraș. In addition to the famous crosses with epitaphs, the artist left behind other sculpted objects, as well as numerous painted icons. The tourist objective that pays homage to the life of the folk craftsman is located just a few hundred meters from the Merry Cemetery and consists of the house, the stable and the workshop in the yard, which belonged to the most famous artist of Săpânța. Inside the house you can see the specific furniture, along with household textiles, but also a significant collection of objects crafted with care and skill by Stan Ioan Pătraș himself. The story of the craftsman is carried forward not only by the works that bear his mark, but also by his successor, Dumitru Tincu Pop, who continues his work, restoring old crosses and creating new ones, in the same "Săpânța blue", according to artistic canons passed down from his master.

Teleki Castle is believed to have been erected between 1740 and 1760, during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. The most famous owner of the imposing building erected in the Baroque style was Teleki Sándor of Szék, a well-known revolutionary and writer, close to some personalities of the time, including the poet Petőfi Sándor. Between 1846 and 1847, the famous Hungarian poet was a three-time guest at Teleki Castle, the most important stay taking place in 1847, when Petőfi Sándor and his wife spent their honeymoon here. The visit, which lasted more than a month, culminated in the enrichment of Hungarian literature with 24 love poems, works that the poet wrote on a stone table in the castle courtyard. Originally, the castle housed a single Petőfi Sándor memorial room, but in 1960, as more and more pieces joined the collection, it was extended over an entire floor. In 2020, the historic monument building was inaugurated as a result of a rehabilitation process, and the museum's exhibition material shall be further expanded with the support of the Petőfi Literary Museum in Budapest. The rooms of the museum welcome their guests with themes related to the history of the building, from the presentation of the Teleki family and the evolution of the castle, to the visits of the poet Petőfi Sándor. Not only the inside of the castle is surprising, but also the outside area, where one can still admire the horn and the stone table on which the famous works of art of the poet were created, as well as a group of statues representing the relatives of Count Teleki, a crucifix and magnificent secular trees. 

The Museum of Nobility proposes a unique glimpse into the world of personalities who have honored this region. The center's library houses historical maps, Royal Diplomas, family trees, but also other period documents, all telling for the past of Maramureș County.

The museum that houses the collection was inaugurated in 2019, through a joint effort of the Foundation of Ukrainian Hutsuls from Romania and the Sinaptica Association - Maramureș. The small museum was arranged in a former annex household  and houses objects specific to the traditional culture of the Hutsuls. The objects, old inscriptions and photographs on display reflect the material culture and the very identity of the Hutsuls, the Ukrainian community to which this ethnic subgroup belongs, having a well-established presence in this region. The museum-type collection also includes works of contemporary art that describe the cultural and ethnographic richness of the Ruscova Valley, a place of special beauty.  

St. Anne - Rohia Monastery has a very valuable museum ensemble. The place of worship located in the heart of Maramureș is one of the places that carry the greatest spiritual load, a magnificent example of church traditions in these lands. Every year, thousands of visitors from all over the world visit Rohia Monastery, a destination that reveals a rich religious and cultural heritage. The museum of the monastery is arranged in the wooden church dedicated to "St. Anne" and brings to the public's attention a collection of over 100 church books, but also a valuable collection of old icons, painted on wood or glass. In addition to this museum, which shelters priceless exhibits, hundreds of years old, the monastery's museum complex also includes Nicolae Steinhardt's cell, as well as a vast library of over 40,000 books of worship and theological magazines, as well as volumes of universal and Romanian literature. The cell where Father Nicolae Steinhardt spent the last years of his life and which is located on the ground floor of the "Poet’s House", has preserved the personal belongings of the monk, known as a doctor of law, writer, publicist and literary critic. Nicolae Steinhardt, a native Jew, converted to the Orthodox religion while being incarcerated in Jilava Prison, where he would serve his sentence for refusing to testify against his friend, Constantin Noica. Between 1979 and 1989, Nicolae Steinhardt lived as a monk in the Rohia Monastery.

The Lăpuş Village Museum Collection is part of the Ruoaia Monastery ensemble, a monastic settlement that enriches the spirituality of the Maramureș lands. The church tradition of the place where the monastery is found today goes back all the way to 1315, when there was another monastic ensemble here, which would be destroyed more than three centuries later. The foundation stone of Ruoaia Monastery was laid in 1995, on the same protected area from where the old monastery would watch over the people of Lăpuș. The Lăpuş Village Museum Collection consists of traditional objects and tools, but also clothing that exemplifies the ethnographic style of this area, increasing the attractiveness of the monastery among tourists, eager to combine the spiritual experience with a cultural one. This monastery includes a Maramureș-style church, a chapel, a summer altar and the cells, which offer generous number of accommodation places. The nuns who worked hard to create this slice of heaven managed to set up a workshop of embroidery, fabrics and carpets.

The Museum and Monumental Complex "Dr. Vasile Lucaciu" evokes one of the historical figures who had a considerable contribution to the achievement of the Great Union. He was also a signatory of the Memorandum demanding that Romanians in Transylvania be given equal rights to ethnic Hungarians. Born in 1852 in Apa locality, Satu Mare County, Vasile Lucaciu dedicated his youth to his studies, later becoming a priest and a teacher. After resigning from education, starting with the summer of 1885, he held the position of parish priest in Șișești, becoming more active on the political scene. In the next three decades Vasile Lucaciu distinguished himself as a prominent political figure, militant for the union of Transylvania with Romania and a great supporter of the interests of all Romanians. After an illustrious career, he passed away in 1922, being buried in Șișești on December 1st, four years after the Great Union. The museum complex inaugurated in 1968, dedicated to the "Lion of Șișești", now includes the following: the parish house, which served for three decades as a residence for the Lucaciu family, the school where he taught, the Church of the Holy Union of All Romanians with VasileLucaciu's tomb, the Gathering place, the Spring of the Mother of the Romanians from Șișești, the stone columns for the statues of Trajan and Decebalus, the altar of the old wooden church and the library of the Lucaciu family. In the valuable library, which contains approximately 15,000 volumes, there are documents that describe the activity and personality of Vasile Lucaciu. Also, the patrimony of the museum complex also includes photographs, documents and original pieces of furniture, from the years when this spokesman of the Great Union fought tirelessly for the welfare of Romanians.  

The Memorial to the Victims of Communism and the Resistance, one of the landmarks of our county, was opened in memory of the injustices of a dictatorial regime, but also of the souls who fell prey to it and which we must not forget. The idea of ​​establishing this Memorial, which is a "means of reviving the collective memory", began to materialize in 1993, through the initiatives of the Civic Academy Foundation, the proposal of the framework project to the Council of Europe being made by Ana Blandiana. After years of hard work, the Memorial was inaugurated on June 20th, 1997, each cell became a museum hall, that describes chronologically or thematically the steep price paid by Eastern European nations under the terror of the communist regime. In one of the courtyards of the former prison you can visit a Space of Recollection and Prayer designed by the architect Radu Mihăilescu, a place where ancient aesthetics intertwine with modern aesthetics, in a silent cry of suffering endured by the nearly 8,000 prisoners who ended up in prisons, camps and deportation facilities in Romania and whose names were engraved on the walls of the descent ramp. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism and the Resistance houses several works of art that ennoble the space and amplify the deeply emotional experience felt by the visitors to this place. The most extensive work that can be seen here is the statuary group "The Procession of the Sacrificed" (Cortegiul Sacrificaților), which bears the signature of the sculptor Aurel I. Vlad and evokes the impact of the communist regime on people's lives. The museum also includes the Cemetery of the Poor, located about two kilometers outside the city, where it is said that 54 prisoners were buried after dying in the political prison.

Căminul-spital pentru minori irecuperabili de la Sighetul Marmației a fost înființat în 1973 și închis în 2003. Clădirea a fost proiectată special pentru a găzdui și îngriji 200 de copii, considerați de către statul român irecuperabili (deși unii dintre ei erau perfect sănătoși).  În cei 30 de ani de funcționare, 738 de copii au fost închiși în spatele gratiilor din respectiva clădire, 279 din ei murind aici și fiind înhumați în Cimitirul Săracilor ori lângă Groapa de Gunoi a municipiului. Dintre supraviețuitori, puțini pot depune mărturie, dar câțiva au reușit să fie intervievați, declarațiile lor fiind disponibile pe platformele sociale asociate muzeului (paginile de Facebook și Instagram). Unul dintre primele muzee interactive virtuale din țară, aflat încă în lucru, Muzeul Abandonului este un proiect unic în spațiul românesc, care vizează cartografierea culturii abandonului în România și dorește să ofere spațiu de exprimare celor a căror traumă colectivă nu a fost niciodată cu adevărat recunoscută și discutată public: sutele de mii de copii abandonați atât în anii comunismului, cât și în istoria recentă a țării noastre (cunoscuți sub numele de ”orfani”). Acest muzeu, virtual se adaugă celorlalte două complexe muzeale majore, existente fizic în Sighetu Marmației: Memorialul Victimelor Comunismului, respectiv, Muzeul Maramureșean, unde sunt înregistrate și expuse mărturii despre alte două tragedii imense care au lovit în cursul secolului XX: dictatura comunistă și Holocaustul împotriva evreilor.   *Text: Teofil Ivanciuc

The small museum pays homage to Ignaz Edler von Born, a renowned metallurgist who studied minerals, and Papp Simon, an illustrious geologist whose name is linked to crude oil extraction technology. Ignaz von Born's expertise was recognized even by Empress Maria Theresa, for whom the metallurgist cataloged the minerals in the imperial collection. He also had a decisive contribution to the mercury amalgamation technology used to increase the purity of the extracted metals. His considerable contribution to the field he loved so much was recognized by the decision to name a mineral after him, namely bornite. Born's personality served as a muse for the composer W. A. ​​Mozart, who was inspired by the famous scholar, when he created the main character in the famous opera "The Magic Flute". Although his career in metallurgy was the one that brought Ignaz von Born his well-deserved success, he also distinguished himself as a satirical writer. Geologist Papp Simon, in turn, had a brilliant professional career, making himself known abroad, both through his geological mapping work and his significant contribution to the development of the oil industry. Today, in the patrimony of the museum arranged in honor of the two sons of Cavnic town, visitors can see numerous objects, such as documents, photographs, scientific papers, which keep their memory alive, as well as a collection of minerals that belonged to the two personalities. Also housed here are a series of mining tools and objects, reminiscent of the golden age of the small mining town, Cavnic.

The Museum of Icons and Old Books "Bishop Gavril of Bârsana" is part of the ensemble of the Bârsana Monastery, one of the spiritual landmarks of Maramureș, whose functions were completed in 2005, by the opening of a museum exhibiting church art and an ethnographic collection. The three-storey building in which the museum operates was the twelfth erected as part of the monastery as a whole, falling within the architectural typology specific to the area, which can be seen in the other monastic edifices, all sharing a perfect stylistic unity. Religious iconography and weaving workshops have been set up in the basement, where the skilled hands of the nuns create true works of art, while on the ground floor, old books and icons are displayed in glass cases. The holy books and manuscripts exhibited here date from the 16th to 19th centuries and are a veritable treasure trove. Upstairs you can visit a local ethnographic exhibition, which further strengthens the authentic Maramureș spirit one can feel throughout the monastic ensemble.

The institution was inaugurated on December 1st, 2003 and operates under the administration of the Vișeu de Sus Cultural-Social Center, having a rich and important patrimony that includes over 1100 pieces. The foundations of the museum's collections were laid around 1970 in the local schools. The permanent exhibition of the museum is structured in two departments, history and ethnography, and brings to the public's attention approximately 800 exhibits of those held in the museum’s collection. The historical collection consists of objects, illustrations, documents and archeological pieces that recreate the course of local history, while the ethnographic collection includes pictures, work tools and household objects, elements of the folk costume, as well as exhibits reminiscent of cultural life and of the people of this region. Although it speaks about the past, the Museum of History and Ethnography in Vișeu de Sus is a tourist attraction that currently awakens great interest, which has preserved fragments from our material and spiritual heritage that we have a duty to perpetuate.  

The Baia Mare Museum of Astronomical Sciences, known until recently as the Baia Mare Astronomical Complex, located in the new downtown area, first opened its doors to the public in 1969. At that time, it was the first public planetarium in Romania. Back then, the planetarium took pride in the astronomical observatory which was used for monitoring the night sky. In 2015, the astronomical complex was endowed with the most modern planetarium equipment in the entire country, the new opto-mechanical stellar projector allowing the greatest clarity of the stellar field. Thus, the institution from Baia Mare is now part of the most modern optical planetariums not only in Romania, but also in South-Eastern Europe. From 2020, the museum brings to the public a captivating and interactive presentation, which allows visitors the possibility of learning about scientific and cultural astronomy, being intended for both the general audience and the educational public. The exhibition space of the Baia Mare Museum of Astronomical Sciences includes five exhibitions, namely: the basic exhibition "Solar System", the permanent exhibition "DeepSky Objects in the Messier Catalogue", the exhibition "Solar Moments - photos by Ilie Tudorel", the history objects exhibition of the planetarium, as well as the digital multimedia exhibition “Traditional Romanian Constellations”. In addition to these, the institution is proud of its unique temporary exhibitions, regularly hosted inside the museum. With regard to the technical and cultural heritage of the museum, two collections of astro-philately were also added to the optical instruments used for demonstration and observation.

The Ethnographic Museum of Maramureş is housed in an imposing building, which represents a historical and architectural monument. Although the efforts to organize an ethnographic collection with Maramureș exhibits go further back in time, the Ethnographic Museum of Maramureş was inaugurated in 1926. Unfortunately, in the years following the Vienna Dictate, a significant part of the institution's collections was lost, the local museum being re-established only in 1954, with the careful involvement of Francisc Nistor, famous ethnographer, archaeologist, teacher and photographer. The permanent ethnographic exhibition, which can be seen today, opened its doors to the public in 1971. It included objects used in agriculture or pastoralism, but also for manufacture of various textiles, all these exhibits illustrating the specific occupations of the people living in the Maramureș area. Also, traditional pieces of furniture, elements of folk costumes, ceramic pieces, as well as a collection of authentic masks, specific to the winter holidays traditions in Maramureș are presented in this permanent exhibition. Those who visit this important tourist objective have the opportunity to admire religious art objects used in the church traditions of Maramureș. The whole exhibition is an illustration of the life of the simple peasant from Maramureș, with all its natural stages.

The museum house was erected between 2006 and 2008, at the initiative of the Orthodox priest Ioan Chirilă, on the place of the former Orthodox confessional school. Although the building is not significantly old, it seems to belong to ancient times thanks to the traditional architectural typology, specific to the Lăpuș ethnographic area. The stone and oak construction, standing on a stone foundation, reveals a modest interior consisting of three rooms: a main room, porch and pantry. The main room of the museum with short walls and small windows shelters traditional objects, tools and textiles, some of which are hundreds of years old. The dowry chest, the loom, the grain box, the shirts and the aprons are just some of the items that restore the image of the simple and authentic life of long ago. It is also commendable that all the objects that give value to the "Lăpuș House" were donated by the people of Rogoz and, therefore, all bear the story and the burden of those who crafted and used them over time. Another one of the museum’s strong points is its location, in the center of the town, adjacent to the wooden church dedicated to the "Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel", an edifice with a complex architecture and a special beauty, which was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church dates from 1661 and is the most famous architectural and religious masterpiece in The Land of Lăpuș. 

The museum was inaugurated in 2011 and is set up in a preserved traditional Jewish house. The "Elephant House", a testimony of the Jewish community in the area, showcases objects in a unique library-café. 

The Florean Museum is the first private museum of contemporary art in Romania, and boasts a unique monumental sculpture park, located in a meadow that stretches over more than 40 hectares. The Florean Museum was founded in 1997, through a combined effort of the entrepreneur Victor Florean and of the artist Mircea Bochiș. The limestone, andesite or marble statues have come to compliment the landscape of "Sun Meadow" ("Poiana Soarelui") so beautifully, that they seem to have always belonged there. The collections of the Florean Museum have grown over time, comprising nowadays more than 10,000 pieces of contemporary art, signed by artists from several continents. In addition to its valuable heritage, the Florean Museum is also famous for its commendable initiatives to promote young talent. Annually, the institution implements three such initiatives, namely: the Cărbunari sculpture camp, the International Small Engraving Salon and the International Experimental Film Festival. The sculpture camp from Cărbunari has a unique nature considering that all the works are designed to fit into the landscape of the sculpture park, where they are eventually installed at the end of the event.

The County Museum of Art " Baia Mare Artistic Center" is an institution that brings to the attention of art lovers the art created in the Baia Mare Artistic Center, ever since 1896, when it was under the careful guidance of the painter and pedagogue Simon Hollósy. Works belonging to over 3000 visual artists from the country and abroad are today part of the generous heritage of the institution, including paintings, graphic works, sculptures, decorative art and photography. The artistic colony founded in Baia Mare more than a century ago has a unique character, strengthened by the continuity of this guild to this day. Many renowned artists have refined their talents here, becoming part of avant-garde movements and exhibiting their creations along with famous names in the field. Approximately 4,500 artifacts, as well as a generous documentary collection (documents, photographs, catalogs, prints, negatives, medals, graphic works) complete the collections of the County Museum of Art "Baia Mare Artistic Center". In addition to the works that bear the artistic print of the Baia Mare colony of artists, which constitute 95% of the museum's fund, in the museum one can admire other exhibits of modern Romanian art, but also works that restore the European art route across two centuries, respectively from the 18th to the 20th century. The museum has been operating in the current building since 1984, but the construction dates back to 1748, initially serving as the headquarters of the Maramureș Salt Office, later becoming private property.

The Maramureș County Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art is one of the emblematic public cultural institutions of the county, subordinated to the Maramureș County Council, and it includes two locations: the Pavilion Department and the Village Museum. The exhibition space of the Pavilion Department operates in the building of the former Summer Theater. Here, in two separate rooms, tourists can see the permanent exhibition as well as a temporary exhibition. The permanent exhibition, entitled "Wood in the traditional community of northern Transylvania - from cradle to grave", brings to the public's attention the process of woodworking, traditional tools, interiors of peasants’ homes, but also folk costumes, traditional ornaments, cult objects and ceramics, belonging to all the four ethnographic areas of Maramureș: Historical Maramureș, Chioarului Land, Lăpuș Land and Codrului Land. Not only the interior of this museum is surprising, but also the exterior area. Beyond the impressive landscape created by the beautiful green plain, one can also admire a set of statues consisting of 12 columns, bearing the signature of the great sculptor Vida Géza. The Village Museum, the second location of the Maramureș County Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art, was inaugurated in 1984 and operates outdoors. Its patrimony includes true masterpieces of folk architecture, representative, in turn, for all four "lands" of the county. An imposing Maramureș gate makes the transition from the city to the village up the hill, having been sculpted by the famous folk craftsman Găvrilă Hotico. The traditional houses and domestic annexes from this corner of heaven, which rewrite pages from the past of Maramureș, take visitors back to an era dominated by simplicity, authenticity and beauty.

The Maramureș County Museum of History and Archeology is a public cultural institution with a long tradition in the cultural life of the county. It was originally founded in 1904, under the name of Baia Mare City Museum. Since 2006, it has been operating under the name County Museum of History and Archeology, having its headquarters within the Mint Office building, which was included in the list of historical monuments. In addition to this location, the museum also comprises the Butchers' Bastion, another emblematic objective of the city of Baia Mare. The permanent exhibition of the Maramureș County Museum of History and Archeology includes cultural items describing  the evolution of the communities in this area, some of the archeological vestiges dating back to the Bronze Age and others from the medieval or modern period. Visitors have the opportunity to discover over 1500 pieces that reconstruct the mining history of this area, from tools and means of transport, to documents and photographs. Also, one should not miss the collection of clocks exhibited in the museum, which includes about 300 exhibits, with an invaluable cultural and scientific value. This "journey" takes visitors through various and interesting items of all types and sizes, which have served several purposes over time: tower clocks, table clocks, pocket watches, wall pendulums and more.

The "Victor Gorduza" County Museum of Mineralogy from Baia Mare, an institution that initially operated within the Natural Sciences Department of the Maramureș County Museum since 1976, received the legal status of museum in 1992. During its approximately 45 years of activity, the "Victor Gorduza" County Museum of Mineralogy from Baia Mare succeeded to be on top of geological museums in Romania. The museum’s heritage, which comes exclusively from the outcrops and mines of the northwest of the country, has brought the institution the status of the largest museum of mineralogy with regional representation on the entire European continent. The museum's four collections, namely the mineral, fossil, rock and ore collections, include over 20,800 pieces. In addition to the permanent exhibition, organized in four different departments, namely petrography, mineralogy, deposits and mine flowers, the famous museum brought to the public's attention over 195 temporary exhibitions, organized both in the country and abroad. During the permanent exhibition, the unique samples of stibin, calcite, barite, pyrite, rhodochrosite, fluorine, quartz, amethyst, gypsum and realgar fascinate visitors, revealing never-before-seen shapes, varieties, sizes and colors. Precisely this character of rarity of such exhibits, doubled by their spectacularity, gives some of them the quality of treasure of the national cultural patrimony of Romania. 

The History-Archeology Department of the Maramureș Museum operates in a beautiful historical monument building which is almost 300 years old. This department of the Museum of Maramureș brings to the attention of visitors the exhibition entitled "Sighetu-Marmației - 680", which first opened its doors to the public in 2006. The valuable museum collection includes Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic exhibits, as well as one of the more comprehensive collections from the Bronze Age, comprising over 140 exhibits. The collection of knives and firearms, which still bear the marks of the conflicts that have left deep wounds in our past, is particularly interesting. Here, visitors can observe pages from the history of Sighet, the documents exhibited recreate the course of the political, economic and cultural life of this area, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The historical testimonies take us through the key moments of our national past, such as the Great Union that gave life to the centuries-old wish of our people, the horrors of the Second World War or the turning point of the Revolution of December 1989. The museum's efforts to preserve and promote Romanian cultural values ​​were recognized in 2020, when the institution was awarded the Anniversary Medal "Centenary of the Great Union", conferred by the President of Romania, Mr. Klaus Iohannis.

The Natural Sciences Department of the Maramureș Museum is located in the complex of buildings, in the Liberty Square (Piața Libertății). The history of this institution goes back to 1899, when a two department’s museum was established in Sighetu Marmației: Natural Sciences and History. The First World War led to the closing of the institution, with the museum's current collection containing only two exhibits that have survived the passage of time, namely a naturalized black goat and a mammoth molar. The current department of the museum was founded in 1968 and, through its valuable exhibits of plants, vertebrates, fungi, minerals, rocks and fossils, it illustrates the surprising natural richness of the Maramureș Depression. The flora and fauna of this area are captured in the over 17,000 leaves of grass which are part of the "Artur Coman Herbarium", named after the famous Borșa native, who dedicated himself to this field of research, while the collection of vertebrates includes about 96% of the species found here. More than 1000 samples of minerals, mine flowers and fossils, as well as the more than 1300 samples of macromycetes from the fungi collection are added to this collection.

The "George Pop de Băsești" Memorial Museum was first opened to the public in 1976. Arranged right inside the architectural masterpiece that was erected between 1885-1890 and which belonged to the President of the Grand National Assembly in Alba Iulia, George Pop de Băsești, the memorial museum was recently restored and reintroduced into the sightseeing tour. For about three decades great political figures of the time met at the residence of George Pop's family, including: Vasile Lucaciu, Vasile Goldiș, Ion Rațiu, Nicolae Iorga, Nicolae Filipescu, Iosif Vulcan, Vasile Braniște, Iuliu Maniu, Teodor Mihali and others.  Inside the memorial museum, visitors can discover the documentary-historical exhibition "George Pop de Băsești and the Great Union of Romanians", which emphasizes the importance of the illustrious political leader in the fight for national unity, but also pieces of furniture and antiques, which recreate the ambiance of the times when the leader of the Great Union put all its knowledge and skill in the fight for the rights of the Transylvanians. Among the valuable pieces exhibited here, some have been found in the patrimony of the Museum of History and Archeology of Maramureș. The collection was completed by the joint effort of other museums in Cluj, Sălaj and Satu Mare, as a result of which the institution's patrimony was enriched with numerous relevant materials, related to the name of this prominent figure of the Transylvanian intellectuality.

Right on the border of Maramureș County with Suceava County we find the Roots Museum, a unique exhibition that reveals the lifelong passion of Ștefan Grec, the local man who has dedicated the last 40 years to collecting tree roots with unique shape. Those more than 100 processed exhibits within the collection are sheltered in a modest old house covered with shingles. Each one of the bizarre roots found here bear the name given by the collector himself, depending on what each exhibit inspires. In addition to the impressive collection of roots, this museum located in the heart of the mountains also has a room where military objects belonging to the soldiers of the two World Wars are exhibited. These objects were found in the surrounding forests, from where the famous roots originate as well. Here, tourists can also admire small exhibitions of old banknotes, eggs decorated with Maramureș and Bucovina motifs, but also "mine flowers" (mine rocks). 

The museum in Chiuzbaia was founded at the initiative of Romică Breban, a local who, for over 30 years, has been collecting old ethnographic or mining objects, taking into account the local tradition in the mining industry. The small museum was inaugurated in 2016. The collections are housed in the old parental home of the local. Visitors can admire the collection of traditional clothing and household items in one of the rooms, as well as mine flowers and mining tools in the second room.

The name of the museum suggests the destination that this ensemble is trying to describe for its visitors, namely that of a parental home. In fact, the entire ensemble composing this museum and which includes: the house, the barn, the stable, the shed, the wood shed and the coop, once served as a real household. The last host of the traditional household, which is about three centuries old, was auntie Florița from Bozânta Mică. Her descendants decided to donate the ensemble to the Town Hall of Tăuții-Măgherăuș. Once with its relocation it would be arranged as a museum. The museum's patrimony also includes over 300 exhibits that talk about the simple past and the traditional occupations of the locals. This interior collection preceded the arrangement of the museum-house, being initially sheltered inside the Middle  School from Tăuții-Măgherăuș. Over time, the collection has grown considerably through the efforts of teachers Ștefan Rusu and Emil Crâncău, who have dedicated themselves to enriching it. The "Home" Village Museum, beyond the traditional nature characteristic of the hearths of the Romanian nation, offers visitors a sense of familiar comfort, similar to what they once felt in the homes of their parents and grandparents.

The Village Museum, part of the Maramureș County Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art, was inaugurated in 1984 and operates outdoors. Its patrimony includes veritable masterpieces of popular architecture, representative of all four "lands" of the county. An imposing Maramureș gate, carved by the popular craftsman Găvrilă Hotico, makes the transition from the city to the village on the hill. The traditional homes and outbuildings gathered in this corner of heaven take visitors back to an era dominated by simplicity, authenticity and beauty.

Opened to the public in 1981, the museum, which originally looked like a scattered village, now has more than 40 heritage sites. The oldest building that enriches the museum's collection is the church, moved here from Oncești, where it was brought from the village of Criciova, on the right bank of the Tisza River. The painting of the place, dating from the 16th century, was remade in 1802. The traditional architectural monuments in the museum were arranged so as to describe the specificity of the subzones Cosău - Mara and Lower Iza, Middle Iza, Vişeu - Borşa, Tisza and the Ruscova basin, from Historic Maramureș. The houses and outbuildings were made of wood on a stone foundation or boulders, maintaining a simple floor layout. Each building illustrates the social status of the owners, either through inscriptions or through specific decorative elements. It should also be mentioned that this museum is a true example of the Maramureș village, showcasing houses specific to ethnic minorities in these areas: Jews, Hungarians, Germans, and Ukrainians. The inside of the houses is traditionally decorated, some preserving the original pieces of furniture and others having original features. The museum, included in the ICOM and UNESCO networks, hosted the 16th Conference of the European Association of Open Air Museums in 1993, and the European conference entitled "The Wood Route in Europe" in 2000. One year later, the institution received the "Gheorghe Focşa" Award from the Ministry of Culture and Cults, and in 2019 it was included in the top museums in Romania, according to the prestigious Michelin Guide. 

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.

Not far from the Church on the Hill, we find the Pleş Peasant Museum. It was opened in 2000 and is arranged in a peasant household that includes a house and a household, the wooden constructions being over 250 years old. The twig fence that surrounds the household and the wooden gate through which offer access, ensure the transition to the simple universe of the country man. In the yard one can view technical installations used by peasants, such as a scutcher, brush, spindle, ratchet, spinning wheel, weaving loom, all used in the processing of hemp. In the barn there are installations used in the processing of cereals, such as a hand mill, an oil press or a corn chopper. The interior of the house features objects that were once found in any home in Maramureș, from kitchen utensils and traditional pieces of furniture, to items of folk costumes or fabrics and icons used to decorate the walls. The pieces from this valuable ethnographic collection belonged either to the Pleş family or to the villagers from Ieud, who donated them to enrich the patrimony of the small museum. 

The memorial museum, opened in 1991 in the old parish building of the Reformed church, is a tribute to the first printer in northwestern Transylvania. Totfalusi Kis Miklós was a prominent figure in the Romanian printing industry, being famous for his overwhelming contribution to the printing of the first Romanian books. The famous printer, born in 1650 in Tăuții-Măgherăuș, would begin the studies in his hometown and continued in Baia Mare and Aiud. Although the completion of his studies culminated in obtaining a position of Rector in Făgăraș city, he chose to leave Romania at the age of 30, becoming an apprentice printer in Amsterdam. For two years, between 1684 and 1686, he printed the Golden Bible, a revised copy of the Hungarian Bible. Among the achievements that earned him the title of the most famous engraver and caster in Amsterdam are the editing of the first cookbook and the creation of the first printed Georgian alphabet. Ten years after leaving his home country, he would return to Cluj-Napoca, where he used his valuable knowledge of the art of printing for the management of a book printing house. Unfortunately, some of the printed volumes attracted many enemies, and the unfavorable economic conditions of the time were felt in the declining number of book buyers. The printer passed away in 1702, in Cluj-Napoca. The Kis Miklós Totfalusi Museum presents to the public a valuable museum collection consisting of vintage books, printing press components, alphabet patterns, portraits and lithographs.