The National Museum “Leaf House” has attracted many visitors since its opening. The methods of wiretapping during the dictatorship in Albania, come to light through permanent exhibitions and well-known personalities who suffered severe punishments. The director of the Museum, Etleva Demollari talks about satisfactory figures.

“Given the global pandemic situation, we can say that it has been a satisfying year in terms of attendance. We had 13 thousand visitors, 60% of whom were foreigners and the rest were locals. Compared to 2020, it is three times as many visitors,” she said.

The main work of this museum since its establishment has been meetings with school youth and welcoming visitors.
“This is a period about which they have little knowledge. The visit to the museum makes a great impression on them. It is the objects, the films and the documents that arouse the most curiosity. Meetings with political prisoners at that time put them more in the situation of that period and makes them feel empathy with political prisoners,” said Demollari.

The museum was built in the villa of doctor Jani Basho. During the war the building was the headquarters of the Gestapo and then the central headquarters of the secret service in Albania. The name leafy house was a reference to the building lined with creeping plants that hid what was inside.

/Klara Ruci/