Museum of History and Ethnography in Sofia

In the village of Sofia, Drochia District, the Museum of History and Ethnography in Sofia preserves the story of a place closely connected to the noble Hasnaș family. The village was first known as Anfisovca, after Lady Anfisa, and later received the name Sofia, associated with the idea of wisdom. The museum was founded on 9 May 1981 by teachers Iacob and Elena Babără, initially in the House of Culture, and since 1990 it has been housed in the Hasnaș mansion, built in 1848.

The building itself is a heritage object. The mansion preserves old stoves, the fireplace, decorated ceilings, a small tower that gives it the appearance of a little church, and, on the façade, two dolphins whose meaning remains wrapped in story. In the 13 exhibition rooms, four of them located in the basement, visitors can discover the history of the village, traces of the Cucuteni–Trypillia civilization, restored vessels, the bell and seal of the first school, objects from the noble household, photographs of local personalities, icons, old books, and testimonies of spiritual life.

The ethnographic collections bring together carpets, towels, rumbe, macaturi, woven rugs, traditional clothing, tools, household objects, and pieces connected to women’s and men’s crafts. The Casa Mare preserves the family’s most beautiful objects, while the basement recalls the spaces where, in the time of the boyars, meals were prepared and served. The museum is not only a place of objects: it hosts traditional gatherings, embroidery and crochet workshops, activities with bread, stuffed cabbage rolls, and painted eggs, as well as meetings through which children rediscover village traditions. In Sofia, the museum connects past and present through people, stories, and customs that still bring the community together.