Activities at the Museum

On 15 November 2019, the Bank of Albania organised the Third Conference of the Museum of the Bank of Albania on “Museums and education in the future”.

The Conference brought together museum staff, experts, researchers in the field of museology and education, to present and discuss their research findings or experiences in this field, focusing on the role that museums and education may have in the future on the culture and progress of Albania.

The proceedings of the Third Conference of the Museum of the Bank of Albania were opened by the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, Ms Luljeta Minxhozi and the Minister of Culture, Ms Elva Margariti.

Meanwhile, the special guest of this conference, the Director of the National History Museum, Dr. Dorian Koci, presented the educational activities of the National History Museum, emphasizing its role as an institution that provides the necessary space for historical research and analysis, thus strengthening its educational role for future generations.

On 7 May  2018, the successful completion of the one-week seminar Ancient coins from the beginning of the VII cent. BC, until the fall of the Roman Empire at the end of the V cent. AD  (end of the 5th century BC) by the lecturer Dr. Albana Meta, numismatist at the Institute of Archaeology.

This seminar organized by the Museum of the Bank of Albania, was attended by about 30 people, including researchers, collectors and students of the University of Tirana. The seminar, initially organized for new numismatists provided the participants with general knowledge on the pre-monetary world, the ancient economy, the coins of Illyrian cities, the imperial Roman and imperial republican currencies. On the last day of the seminar, participants were also introduced with practical exercises on how stamps are studied, how to build a monetary corpus, how to study, identify, restore, and preserve antique coins.

At the end of the seminar, attendees were given participation certificates.

On 17 April, Dr. Dorian Koci, Director of the National Historical Museum, held the scheduled lecture from the Museum's Net Nights, on " Ali Pasha Tepelena’s financial relations ".

Ali Pasha Tepelena is one of the most charismatic personalities of his era, not only because he ruled in the region for 30 years but also because he became a mover and shaker of many pan-European developments. A lesser studied aspect of his rule is the financial relations of the Pashallik of Ioannina with the Ottoman Empire, Republic of Venice, France, England and Russia. The lecture will address issues such as the revenue sources and financial system of the Ottoman Empire, the revenue sources of the Pashallik of Ioannina, taxes and tolls and the legal regime of land as a source of revenues. The study of the financial relations of the Pashallik of Ioannina also sheds light on the historical context of his era as a transition period in our recent history that had a significant geopolitical impact afterwards in the newly formed Greek state and in the Albanian territories.

On 2 March 2018, in the context of the Museum Nights, the Bank of Albania organised a lecture on “Gjergj Kastrioti Scanderbeg on Albanian Stamps”, by Prof. Dr. Jovan Basho, a philatelist.

During the lecture "Gjergj Kastrioti Scanderbeg on Albanian Stamps", Prof. dr. Basho presented, in details, the issues of the Albanian philatelic collection related to our National Hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Scanderbeg, chronologically illustrating some of the most interesting philatelic issues featuring Scanderbeg, during 1913-2005  He presented several interesting facts on the issuance of some rare postal stamps, historic postcards, as well as errors in their issuance, which makes these stamps highly demanded by the philatelists. At the end of the lecture, the audience visited the exhibition set up by Mr Basho on "National hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Scanderbeg, in postal issues during 1913-1918".

The Museum of the Bank of Albania organised for the first time a cycle of lectures called "Museum nights". The objective of this activity is to inform the public through lectures delivered by historians, archaeologists, numismatists, on topics of numismatics, banking and economic history and financial education. 

On 20 November 2017, the Museum of the Bank of Albania carried out the second lecture of the cycle "Museum Nights", held by Prof. Dr. Nevila Nika, UET, on the topic "The Archive: The Bank of memory". In her lecture, Ms Nika presented the importance and the role played by the archives in the development of societies overall, highlighting the mission and the function of the central state archive of Albania, as the highest authority of the national archives. The lecturer presented also the role of the archives as instruments to preserve and expose special value objects, taking as an example the Museum of the Bank of Albania.

On 30 October 2017, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the opening of the Museum of the Bank of Albania (2015), which coincides also with the 79th anniversary of the inauguration of the then National Bank of Albania (1938), the Bank of Albania launched the cycle of lectures known as "Museum Nights". 
The first lecture was delivered by Mr Artan Lame, one of the most renowned collectors who has extensive knowledge and understanding of Albanian and Ottoman numismatics and medals, and is also a civil society activist for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Albania. Mr Lame, in his lecture, addressed the Ottoman currency, from its introduction in the XIVth cent. until the Tanzimat Reforms in the XIXth cent., and the characteristics and types of the currencies that were in circulation in the Albanian territories. It also focused on the circulation of European currencies in the Albanian territories before and during the use of the Ottoman currency. 

On 14 - 15 June 2017 the First Conference of the Museum of the Bank of Albania on "Money and Banking in Albania, from Antiquity to Modern Times" was held. The first day brought together historians, academics, numismatists, archaeologists and scholars of monetary and economic history, to present and discuss the findings of their studies in the field of monetary production and circulation, economic history and the development of banking in Albania, from antiquity to modern times. Meanwhile, the second day was dedicated to the educational role of central bank museums in getting to know the history of money, and banking activities and enhancing financial literacy through exhibitions, education and innovation. 

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Autonomous Region of Korça, the Museum of the Bank of Albania organised the exhibition "Issues of the Autonomous Region of Korça 1917-1918", at the National Museum of Education, on 9-10 December 2016.
The exhibition presented the full collection of local banknotes issued by the Autonomous Region of Korça during 1917 and 1918, accompanied by photographic and graphic illustrations, which reflect the historical, economic and numismatic context of that period.
 

On 18 May 2017, the Museum of the Bank of Albania organized an event on: "Interesting facts from the Treasury: The Art of the Albanian Banknote", within the framework of the International Museum Day. Annually on this date, every museum around the world celebrates a specific topic with the common goal of promoting the national history and culture. In 2017, the topic was "Museums and controversial stories: Expressing the untold stories of the museum." The discussion included the untold stories of the Albanian banknotes.

After 77 years, on 30 October 2015, the Bank of Albania organized the Inauguration Ceremony of its Renovated Building, which marked also the opening of the Museum of the Bank of Albania. 
The Museum of the Bank of Albania is organised in two independent floors. The main hall known as the Treasury Room or the "Rondo", on the ground floor showcases the rich numismatic collection of the Bank of Albania from antiquity to modern days. The second floor of the Museum presents the history of the central bank of Albania, its role in maintaining price stability and safeguarding the financial stability as well as its constitutional functions. With a particular focus on public education, this Museum has dedicated sections for classes, lectures and other educational activities regarding money and the economy.
The Museum of the Bank of Albania also represents a new tourist attraction in the centre of Tirana, as well as a permanent information centre where the public may learn about aspects of money and the economy, and better understand the role and functions of the central bank.