The Bratko Museum of Oriental Art ( sq, Muzeu i Artit Oriental "Bratko") is an Albanian
national museum
A national museum is a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In other countries a much greater numb ...
dedicated to
Asian art in
Korçë
Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...
, Albania. The museum was established and opened in June 2003, thus fulfilling the dream of
George Dimitri Boria, an
Albanian-American
Albanian Americans ( sq, shqiptaro-amerikanët) are Americans of full or partial Albanian ancestry and heritage in the United States. They trace their ancestry to the territories with a large Albanian population in the Balkans among others to Al ...
photographer, who donated his own collection of Asian art to the museum. Collection which Boria began during his 14 years in
post-war
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...
Japan as photographer for General
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
, and which continued as a lifelong passion embracing all countries and cultures of the
Orient
The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of ''Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the c ...
. The name "Bratko" Museum was chosen by G.D. Boria in memory of her beloved mother, Viktoria Bratko, who waited for him in Korca.
The "Bratko" Museum serves as a monument to an extraordinary man, his family, and his native land.
Building
The architecture of the new museum is a startling, new contribution to the variety of buildings already represented in Albania. Its style is avant-garde while reflecting elements of traditional architectures of Asia. As such, the museum itself is a contemporary masterpiece.
History
The idea of opening the Museum was born around 1985 by G.D Boria who provided to the Albanian state of that period his own collection, which he had collected during the post-war years. In 1990 G.D Boria died entrusting the realization of this dream to his American cousin, Laura Bratko Schlesinger. The realization of his dream to open a museum dedicated to Asian art was made possible only in the early 2000s when the Municipality of Korca offered the site for the museum's construction.
The completion of the works was completed in 2003 and the museum was opened in June to the same year under the name of the ''Museum of Oriental Art "Bratko"'', thus becoming the first Asian art museum in the Balkan region.
The museum was awarded the
Japanese Foreign Minister
The is a member of the cabinet of Japan and is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The minister is responsible for implementing Japan’s foreign policy and is also a statutory member of the National Security Cou ...
’s Commendation for their contributions to promotion of Japanese culture in Albania on 1 December 2020.
Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2020 (Groups) , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
/ref>
Collection
See also
* National Museum of Medieval Art (Albania)
*List of museums in Albania
This is a list of museums in Albania. In 2017, museums in the country welcomed 200,986 visitors. Most museums are closed on Mondays.
List of museums in Albania Archaeological museums
* National Archaeological Museum
* Archaeological Museum of Du ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Museum of Oriental Art Bratko
Buildings and structures in Korçë
Asian art museums
Bratko Bratko is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include:
* Bratko Bibič (born 1957), Slovenian accordionist
* Ekaterina Bratko (born 1993), Russian footballer
* Ivan Bratko (disambiguation), multiple people
* Nicholas Bratko (1896 ...
Bratko Bratko is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include:
* Bratko Bibič (born 1957), Slovenian accordionist
* Ekaterina Bratko (born 1993), Russian footballer
* Ivan Bratko (disambiguation), multiple people
* Nicholas Bratko (1896 ...
Tourist attractions in Korçë
Museums in Korçë