The Ethnographic Collection

In Buje, one must definitely see the museum that collects and holds the objects of the folk material culture of the Buje area. It is located near the entrance into the old town, across the church of Our Lady of Mercy.

The museum is located in a 4-floor building, built straight above the vault that used to be southern entrance to the town. The permanent collection contains 186 exhibits distributed on floors in order to display the outlook of an old Istrian house.

Its ethnographic collection contains tools, furniture and significant items of an old-fashioned household that evoke the ancient way of living of the Istrians, mostly bound to agriculture and individual crafts.

The collection was founded in 1970 when the items typical to rural living and working were collected in the villages of upper Buje area. The collection was later updated, and it was also recently restored, so the items now have a new glow, introducing the visitor to the world of the one-time Istrian people, their everyday life and trades.

In the basement, one can thus see an old olive processing machine consisting of a press and the millstone and the stone vessel with a wooden cover where the olive oil was kept. Numerous tools and work spaces such as blacksmith’s were displayed as well.

A traditional kitchen on the first floor brings shelves, hood and other utensils, especially pottery collection, and its central part is the fireplace, the most vital part of every Istrian household. Apart from cooking, the central spot for the members of the households and friends who used to sit around the fire at nights, and socialize with folk stories and legends.

On the second floor, there is a weaver’s loom and several bedroom items, while the third floor contains the old-fashioned, engraved chests that were used for keeping the clothes and other personal items. The third floor is also used for occasional ethnographic and historical exhibitions.