Ethnographic Museum "George Cernea" of Rupea was reopened after years of absence from the cultural space of Brasov County and Rupea town, during which there were major repairs and arrangements. The museum has a modern design, with the current museum facilities. The exhibition is a suggestive summary of the ethnographic profile of Rupea area; the artifacts reflect the ancient life of the Romanians, Hungarians and Saxons who have lived here together for centuries.
Museum's History
The museum was originally housed in two rooms; the exhibits were usually paintings, religious objects, folk art and archeology. After1960, the exhibit is reopened in the current building, which dates from the late-nineteenth century. Among the items there are clothes, tissues, furniture, tools, icons, ceramics, all depicting traditional occupations of the inhabitants of Rupea area.
Multiethnic Profile
The ethno-cultural configuration of Rupea area reveals the presence of Saxon villages conferring the area a dominant identity. The multi-ethnic stamp of the area is due to the cohabitation with the Romanians in Romanian villages or to the vicinity with the Romanian and Hungarian compact villages. Saxons and Romanians in particular have developed a traditional rural culture that gives the area its authentic ethnographic profile. The Ethnographic Museum "George Cernea" evokes the rural world around Rupea town but also the Cohalm Fair.
Drauseni Pottery
According to Ligia Fulga, director of the Ethnographic Museum Brasov, ?the pottery Drauseni is highly appreciated abroad and bid on auction houses in Germany (18th century). At Drauseni there are pottery workshops who kept the authentic technique. In the museum there are several themed rooms: the wedding of Rupea and comparative Romanian and Saxon interiors. Upstairs there is a room dedicated to Gheorghe Cernea, the ethnofolklorist who gave the name of the museum. The exhibition presents his workshop, the library, several collections".
Fishing Gear
The museum also hosts the hall "Fishing on Olt" ? a promotion of the natural patrimony. The main exhibit is an ancient fishing boat used once to cross the river Olt and fishing gear used by locals from the area.
Another room is dedicated to a grocery of Rupea. The heritage museum also includes three films: wedding habits of Rupea, customs of Mateias and the famous Kronenfest of Viscri.
According to Flavius Dumitrescu, the mayor of Rupea, the museum, along with the other medieval buildings of Rupea, is worthy to be visited by both locals and tourists.
