Around 1,500 museum professionals and researchers in Romania will protest on May 20, when a big event dedicated to museums will be organized, namely the Night of Museums.

They want the legislation on protection of cultural heritage and museums to be changed, and the wage disparities in museum institutions to be eliminated, reports local News.ro.

On Wednesday, the representatives of several museum employee unions drafted a program of protests. Thus, representatives of the Moldova National Complex, National Museum of Romanian History, Peles Museum, and Museum of History and Architecture in Constanta – Ovidiu unions decided not to boycott the Night of Museums event but to organize micro-exhibitions outside the museums, for the visitors to see.

A march will be organized in Bucharest, with protesters walking to the Ministry of Culture, on Calea Victoriei boulevard. “We will have t-shirts with messages and we’ll make a video to explain the problems we’re facing,” said Mihaela Simion, member of the National Museum of Romanian History Workers' Union.

Over 60 cultural institutions sent an open letter to Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu calling for an amendment to the legislation on protection of cultural heritage and museums, and the elimination of wage disparities in museum institutions, but they haven’t received any answer yet. Among the signatories there are the National Museum of Romanian History, Brukenthal National Museum, Peles National Museum, Cotroceni National Museum, Casa Muresenilor Museum, and the National Institute for Research and Cultural Training.

Museums Night returns to Bucharest with a new concept

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com