Albania has inherited an extraordinary cultural wealth of great historic value, scientific, artistic, spiritual, educational, etc., of a national and international importance. Located throughout the country and geographical area with a high diversity of our cultural heritage assets, such as archaeological parks, monuments, museums, art galleries, etc., are undoubtedly one of the greatest potentials of Albania for sustainable development social and economic development and prosperity of the Albanian society.

From the data collected and the analysis of the current situation regarding the impact that our cultural heritage assets in the State budget and the well-being of Albanian citizens, it turns out that so far these assets are considered a burden that only require expenses to maintain, and their use in the service of social and economic development of the country is just casual and unprofessional.

Given the intention to contribute to a better management of cultural heritage assets and to prove that these assets could revive and generate significant social and economic value for the community they belong to, but beyond, our organization Argjiro, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation has chosen one of the most important sites of Albanian Culture the city of Shkodra and their historical museum, in order to design and implement a contemporary model of management, which may serve as an example for other cultural heritage sites in Albania.

A European Union funded Project for the revitalization and digitalization of Albanian Cultural Heritage

In the framework of “Promoting Connectivity of Internet Broadband in the Accursed Mountain Border Area” European Union Funded Project, Argjiro has undertaken the revitalization and digitalization of Historical Museum of Shkodra in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation and the Municipality of Shkodra.

Argjiro has produced in digital support its valuable work done on cultural heritage of Shkodra and find new technological ways of attracting youth in the cultural economy as well as increase the tourists interest. The experts engaged in the digitalization of the Historical Museum of Shkodra, have produced in digital support the artefacts of the Historical Museum of Shkodra have elaborated new technological ways of attracting and increasing the tourists interest. This technological intervention is contributing to the protection and the promotion of Shkodra cultural values and heritage and will highlight issues, upgrade the capacities of the managerial staff of the museum and promote the historical site.

The Historical Museum of Shkodra (Muzeu Historik i Shkodrës) was founded in 1949, based on collections gathered by the Jesuits and Franciscan monks at the end of the XIX-th century, and also on private collections donated by families of Shkodra.

The museum is housed inside a monumental XIX-th century building, the massive family house of Oso Kuka, a wealthy middle-class merchant. The house itself is as interesting as the museum: surrounded by fortified walls, the building is a typical merchant’s home, attesting Shkodra significant role as a prime merchants’ city along the ancient trade route between the Mediterranean sea and Kosovo.

The Oso Kuka was constructed in 1815, and has been restored to its old state. Inside, the museum exhibits typically ornate guest rooms, and a basement with a small archeology exhibition featuring an early Christian Plate of David, and artifacts from the Greek and Roman periods. In the garden you’ll also find a Roman tomb and a Venetian stone well.

A group of a great experience from Albania and from Italy have collaborated together on finding new technological ways for the good management and revitalization of the museum, as well as promoting its values.

Imagine a museum that welcomes tourists with a captivating art experience.

Imagine an inspiring indoor multimedia monitor where tourists and visitors can find all information they need on the museum. Imagine a museum to serve as a hub for cultural activity in Shkodra. This is the vision driving the plans for Shkodra Historical Museum that we have implemented. This technological intervention has the potential to become the creative heart of historical town for the Museum’s dynamic. We have worked with the museum staff and the specialist of Ethnographic fund in order to digitize the fund of the museum and make it interactive, to showcase the creativity in the region and extend the Museum beyond its walls.

The Museum has three main sections: the ethnographic fund, the archaeological fund, the visual arts fund and the library, a complete information about the museum should be found in their website http://muzeuhistorikshkoder.com/.

The creation of the website for the museum together with the integration of digital accessories as The multitouch power ( indoor multimedia monitor) and a bilingual audioguide has enriched the information about the Historical Museum of Shkodra and has associated new technological ways of attracting youth in the cultural economy as well as increasing the tourists interest.

The use of new technologies for the promotion of this historical site is an added value for the museum and an important step on the preservation of Albanian cultural heritage.

Argjiro a pathway to preservation of the Albanian Cultural Heritage

Argjiro was created in 2007 in Tirana, is an Albanian Non Governmental Organization that aim to establish and develop international cultural exchanges, building bridges of cultural dialogue between Albania, Kosovo, Europe, and Mediterranean area, to raise the public awareness for the protection ways of transmissions of different oral cultures part of the intangible heritage, to revitalize the cultural and artistic life in Gjirokastra, and other Albanian sites listed in the World Heritage Center of UNESCO, like Berati, Butrint etc. Argjiro is working on the digitalization of Cultural heritage and preservation of the memory.

ART & TRASHEGIMI (Art& Heritage) is another contribution of Argjiro since April 2011, a bilingual publication, in Albanian and in English, a historical and cultural magazine to promote the Albanian Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts.

Argjiro since its creation in 2007 is organizing as well the international festival “Musical Encounters Between the Two Worlds”. This project is unique in Albania not only because it involves an important mainstay of arts and culture, namely music, but it especially focuses on a combination of classical music with traditional music. The Festival aims to give an impetus to artistic and cultural life in Gjirokastra, Berat, Shkodra, Tirana, to help promote tourism, to promote the town and their cultural heritage by organising periodical international events there, to offer the public and tourists an entertaining and educational quality alternative, and to contribute to increased cultural exchanges between Albania and Europe and the world.