Masks, which have always served as bridges between worlds, preserve the memory of the communities that create and wear them. They come to life during celebrations, rituals, and festivals—whether in villages or cities—and temporarily suspend the natural order of things, reversing roles, relationships, and meanings.
Currently, masks are appearing more and more frequently in discussions about cultural heritage around the world, although the art of mask-making is not equally well known everywhere. In some cases, it is even on the verge of disappearing. In response to this loss, the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant aims to provide a fresh gaze over these skills, knowledge, and techniques that have, until now, been underappreciated in our country. Thus, we are bringing to light the creations of artisans who were documented as part of an intensive European project dedicated to the study and promotion of the work and arts behind masks.
From November 10 to 29, at the ”Noua Galerie” exhibition hall at the Museum, in Bucharest, we bring together craft traditions, cultural spaces, and the diverse histories and trajectories of these masks’ heritage from Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Romania - the countries where the European project “Unveiling the Arts and Works Behind the Masks,” has been taking place for the past three years
From traditional crafts to creative industries, the world of masks is more vibrant than ever. Come discover them starting November 10, or join us directly at the grand opening on November 16.
WHAT TO DO IN THE EXHIBITION?
You can follow the journey of several masks across and beyond borders, as documented by the project’s multinational teams: from their local, community, and rural contexts to urban spaces, new international audiences, the digital realm, and new creative markets.
You’ll discover: continuities in intergenerational transmission, as well as rifts, transformations, and contemporary adaptations that the craft of mask-making is undergoing—new techniques, materials, forms of professionalization, and cultural entrepreneurship.
In the small study cabinets, you’ll find previously unpublished materials: documents from the Museum Image Archive featuring field research conducted by the first team in the early years following the Museum’s rebirth, as well as one of the Museum’s first exhibitions in the 1990s (can you guess what it was about?)
Discover points of connection between the creations of renowned mask makers from Romania, Italy, Spain, and Portugal and the masks recently created by students from the University of Bucharest during their apprenticeships in the workshops of international artisans, as part of the mobility programs supported by the project.
Two interactive spaces invite you to get creative throughout the exhibition: you’re free to contribute to the collective creation in the “open mask workshop” as well as in the living lab where “futures for masks” are being imagined.
Furthermore, the exhibition will be complemented by a rich program of events. For the detailed schedule of guided tours, workshops, and labs, follow us on social media.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
Visiting hours: November 10–29, 2026, Wednesday through Sunday, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the New Gallery Hall - Sala Noua Galerie (MNȚR, entrance via the Peasants’ Club, Monetăriei Street).
Opening reception attended by the international team of the European project: November 16 at 5:00 p.m., Sala Noua Galerie.
Launch of Issue 31 of the MNȚR’s MARTOR Anthropology Journal, a special edition dedicated to the European project, in the presence of the editorial team and selected authors: November 18, 6:00 PM, Media Hall.
Storytelling with masks workshop with museum educator Raluca Magda Minoiu
The exhibition is open to international audiences (materials are available in Romanian, English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian).
Free admission.
