Oldest museum in Romania runs a campaign for its first complete restoration
More than 200 years ago, a visionary man, Baron Samuel von Brukenthal, disposed in his will that his palace and collections be open for public visiting. His dream came through after his death, in 1817, when inside Brukenthal Palace open the first museum in Romania and South-Eastern Europe.
Today, Brukenthal Palace is the nucleus of Brukenthal National Museum in Sibiu and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. They enjoy visiting one of the most significant Baroque buildings in Romania: the palace still preserves the original wallpaper of silk, painted linen or cardboard decorated with Oriental motifs, the stuccoes, the woodwork, the faience stoves brought from Vienna, the crystal chandeliers, the supraporte.
This entire cultural heritage is in danger, as this palace has never been completely restored. The second portal of Brukenthal Palace, located between the inner courtyards, is currently covered by scaffolding in order to protect visitors from the eventual falling pieces. The same fate awaits the facade portal. The absence of stone-made wall base facilitates structural dampness, destroying interior wall-painting and aggravating the conservation conditions for the exhibits displayed in ground floor exhibitions. The 18th century parquetry in the reception rooms is falling to pieces leading to restricted visitation in the area. The silk wallpaper and the oriental one display abrasions, tearings, stains and so on.
Complete restoration is a must in order to give the possibility to future generations to enjoy this heritage. Still, the official requests for Brukenthal Palace restoration had no positive answer. Under these circumstances, Brukenthal National Museum runs White Palace - Dark Story Campaign, aiming to raise the awareness of the visiting public community beyond local, national or even European borders.
A petition for Brukenthal Palace Restoration has been launched inside this campaign, as our voice needs to be strengthened through that of the community. Over 7.100 people have already signed the petition, but more signatures are needed. Let`s stand beside this palace and sign the petition online http://www.brukenthalmuseum.ro/index2.php/petitie/.
