Gheorghe Ionescu‑Șișești Museum Șișești

Inaugurated in 2012 inside the former dispensary building constructed in 1939 at the initiative of the renowned scholar, the Gheorghe Ionescu‑Șișești Museum is a major cultural and educational landmark in Mehedinți County. Gheorghe Ionescu‑Șișești (1885–1967), born in this commune, was the second Romanian to earn a PhD in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Jena, Germany. He later became a member of the Romanian Academy and served as Minister of Agriculture in four different terms. The museum features original documents, historical photographs, letters, and specialized volumes that highlight his crucial role in modernizing Romanian agriculture and developing his native village.

The exhibition is divided into thematic sections: a room showcasing the academician’s office with personal belongings, a reconstructed traditional peasant household complete with authentic furniture and folk costumes specific to the Mehedinți region, an area dedicated to local crafts – including a traditional potter’s wheel – and a restored early 20th-century classroom that immerses visitors in rural education of that era. Additionally, the museum presents the history of Șișești village and the community projects initiated by Ionescu‑Șișești (school, town hall, dispensary). Today, this memorial and ethnographic museum stands as a cultural landmark in Mehedinți County, promoting science, rural traditions, and the legacy of the academician while offering an authentic and educational experience in the heart of Oltenia.