House of Leaves Museum — Attraction in Tirana Municipality

We went to the museum on 27.10. (last Sunday of October), and as per their website, the entrance should have been free (last Sunday of the month and not in June, July or August). When we arrived, we were told that we have to pay and when I objected because it was free admission day, they simply said that it's not and we have to pay. Unfortunate, but not the end of the world. I got out my credit card to pay, but was told that I can pay only cash. Definitely strange for a museum in a capital city, but okay. I then proceeded to give them the euros for the entrance, but they said that they only accept Albanian lek. In my opinion, it is stupid for a museum (which is mainly for tourists) in a capital city not to accept credit cards or euros, which are accepted anywhere else in Albania. For example, I paid for a meal in a local restaurant in a small village in the middle of Albania and in all cafés in small villages with euros without a problem, in supermarkets, I even paid with a credit card, but in a tourist museum in a capital city, neither of the options are accepted. And to reiterate, I wasn't even supposed to pay anything that day according to their website, which I guess was just lying to lure more people in. I am...

The House of Leaves Museum in Tirana is an essential destination for anyone interested in Albania's dark communist past. Located in the former headquarters of the Sigurimi, Albania's secret police, the museum vividly portrays the oppressive surveillance state that controlled and terrorized its citizens from 1944 to 1991. Through its 31 rooms, visitors can explore chilling exhibits of advanced monitoring equipment, forced testimonies, and propaganda, showcasing the regime's scrutiny not only of Albanians but also foreigners.

The museum highlights Albania's isolation, even from allies like Russia and China, and its focus on controlling its population rather than external threats. Originally built as a medical clinic in 1931 and later used by the Gestapo during WWII, the building's history adds layers to its significance. The preserved artifacts and original recordings make this museum a haunting yet invaluable experience, offering insight into the psychological violence endured by thousands. Winning the Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2020 further underscores its importance as a site of remembrance and reflection. A visit to the House of Leaves is truly unforgettable and not...

A very interesting museum, not quite as challenging as the 2 Bunkart museums. The museum shows how the security service kept an eye on the population during communism. This was partially achieved by showing us the technology they used, and partially through personal stories. It was very authentic and real, but perhaps not as challenging as I expected. The exhibition mainly stayed factual and didn't say a lot about personal stories (there were lots of written reports, eg of trials of accused enemies, but they were all in Albanian and weren't translated in any detail). There was a very interesting statistic from a recent academic study which showed that only a third of the population thought that the security scrutiny under communism had been too much - perhaps an indicator that those of us from outside are too quick to focus on the negative elements of the regime. Most of the exhibits do have English explanations and were well explained. My Albanian friend particularly liked the living room setup that showed a typical Albanian home - everyone had the same TV, fridge, sofa, dresser. Very authentic - seal...