Durrës Archaeological Museum still closed, 18 months past restoration deadline

After two and a half years of delays, the restoration of the Durrës Archaeological Museum — one of Albania’s most important cultural institutions — remains incomplete. Once expected to reopen in 2023, the museum continues to stay closed, casting doubt on its availability for the 2025 summer tourist season and raising concerns about project management and cultural access.

Why is this important: The museum houses more than 3,000 historical artifacts and is a key cultural attraction in Durrës. Its prolonged closure is a blow to the city’s tourism economy, especially during peak travel periods. Though the project is part of EU-funded post-earthquake recovery efforts, it has struggled with bureaucratic delays and legal issues.

Context: The restoration began in November 2022 as part of the EU4Culture program, funded by the European Union and implemented by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in coordination with the Ministry of Culture. The initiative aimed to rebuild heritage sites damaged in the 2019 earthquake.

Initial estimates projected a one-year timeline, but the project stalled due to unresolved legal issues over the museum’s land ownership. Because the property had never been formally registered under the relevant government ministry, construction permits could not be issued, halting progress for months. The problem has since been resolved, allowing work to resume.

UNOPS says that 93% of the physical restoration is now complete. What remains is the interior reorganization, including reinstallation of display cases and repositioning of artifacts within the museum’s new layout. Some of the objects will also be re-exhibited in the courtyard.

What’s next: No firm date has been announced for the museum’s reopening. Meanwhile, local tour operators have adapted by offering alternative cultural experiences, but the absence of the museum continues to limit Durrës’ full tourism potential.