House of Leaves Museum
About This Museum
Tucked away on a quiet street in the heart of Tirana, the House of Leaves Museum occupies a building with a deceptively ordinary facade that hides a deeply complex past. This isn't your typical history museum; it's a journey into the meticulous and often chilling world of Albania's State Sigurimi, or secret police, during the communist era. The name itself comes from the dense canopy of trees that once helped conceal its activities from prying eyes. Walking through its rooms, you get an unsettling sense of the surveillance apparatus that monitored nearly every aspect of life.
Collection Highlights
The exhibits focus on the astonishingly low-tech yet effective spy gear used for eavesdropping and control, from primitive listening devices to intricate camera systems hidden in everyday objects. One of the most powerful sections details the methods used for interrogations and the personal stories of those who were monitored.
Visitor Information
It's a sobering but essential visit to understand modern Albania; give yourself at least an hour to fully absorb the exhibits. Be sure to check their website for current opening hours as they can vary.
Architecture & Building
A stately, pre-communist era villa with a pale yellow exterior, whose elegant origins starkly contrast with its later, grim purpose as the central hub for state surveillance.
Contact & Location
Address: Rruga Ibrahim Rugova, Libri Universitar, Njësia Bashkiake Nr. 5, Tiranë, Bashkia Tiranë, Qarku i Tiranës, Shqipëria Qendrore, 1001, Shqipëria
Phone: +355 4 222 2612
Website: Visit Website
