Ministry of Culture: Heritage of the National Museum "George Enescu" is safe

The heritage objects in the custody of the National Museum "George Enescu" are kept in adequate conditions, and the restoration process of the historical building that houses the institution could resume this year, the Ministry of Culture announced. The statements come in the context of concerns raised in the public space regarding the manner of storing and preserving cultural goods temporarily evacuated from the Cantacuzino Palace, the museum's headquarters, currently undergoing a restoration process.

• Direct verification at the museum

The Minister of Culture, Andras Istvan Demeter, carried out a verification visit to the warehouses where the heritage objects are kept. According to the ministry, the inspection took place after the end of the working hours and was announced just ten minutes in advance, in order to allow "a direct and objective assessment of the situation on the ground." During the discussions with the museum specialists and the institution's management, the information that generated concerns about the quality of storage conditions was analyzed. "I wanted to see in person what is happening at the museum. After the analysis within the board of directors, I decided to verify in the field how the heritage assets are protected. We can assure everyone that the objects are preserved in appropriate conditions," the minister said, quoted in a ministry statement. According to him, the reports on the monitoring of microclimate parameters in the storage spaces confirm that the heritage pieces are kept in appropriate conditions of humidity, temperature and brightness.

• Old photos, taken out of context

Following the checks, the ministry representatives were informed that some photos recently published in the press do not reflect the current situation, but come from the institution's archive and were taken in previous years. According to the explanations provided by the control team, the elements captured in those images are to be restored and reintegrated into the building after the completion of the rehabilitation works of the museum complex.

• Ministry control and administrative checks

Prior to the minister's visit, the Control Body of the Ministry of Culture carried out a first verification action at the museum on Wednesday. At this stage, the members of the commission requested relevant documents and information and held detailed discussions with the staff responsible for the preservation and conservation of classified movable cultural assets in the museum's collections. The authorities specified that the assessments will continue to clarify all the aspects reported in the public space.

• Resumption of the restoration of the Cantacuzino Palace

In parallel, the Ministry of Culture gave assurances that the restoration project of the Cantacuzino Palace will continue. The procurement procedure for the execution works, design services and technical assistance, launched at the end of last year, is currently in the technical evaluation stage of the offers. If all the requirements set out in the tender documentation are met, the public procurement contract could allow the restoration works to resume starting in the second quarter of this year, according to the ministry. Cantacuzino Palace, one of the most important historical monuments in Bucharest and the headquarters of the National Museum "George Enescu", houses an essential part of the cultural heritage dedicated to the great Romanian composer George Enescu.