Part of the NORTHERN DOBRUDJA CULTURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM COMPLEX belonging to the Gavrilă Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea, the House of Collections – Avramide House was built in the late nineteenth century by Alexe Avramide, a successful local entrepreneur, owner of mills, workshops , commercial spaces, a sawmill and some large agricultural land.
Alexander Avramide arrived in Tulcea in the mid nineteenth century being animated by an ambition and tenacity that would make him one of the most wealthy people in the region. Around 1890 Avramide brought two Italian craftsmen and entrusted them with the construction of the house, which he wanted to be a symbol of prosperity family. Soon, the house situated in the center of Tulcea, in front of the church St. Nicholas became the most beautiful building in the town.
Considered luxury dwelling, Avramide House stood out through the ground floor rooms richly decorated with painted stucco, painted ceilings and fitted with double leaf doors, the two main facades, one with a monumental staircase of marble mosaic.
After 1944 Avramide House became the headquarters of the Greek Democratic Committee. On 14 November 1949 the birth document of Danube Delta Museum was signed and the museum opening took place on 1 May 1950. The museum occupied two rooms in the current building, having 872 heritage objects and complementary materials.
In the period 1952-1953 in the building also functioned Tulcea County School Inspectorate.
1957 is the year of the first reorganization of the museum, after which, in 1959, the basement was put into service, there being opened a department of archeology and ethnography which will run until 1962.
At the beginning of 1964, after arranging the basement as aquarium, along with a collection of 1500 biological pieces and a voluminous herbarium, the house works fully as museum of natural sciences.
Recently rehabilitated under the project RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION OF TWO PATRIMONIAL BUILDINGS OF TULCEA MUNICIPIUM INCLUDED IN REGIONAL TOURISM CIRCUITS, run by Tulcea County Council, AVRAMIDE HOUSE offers a modern vision to show elements of Tulcea town modern history, the Avramide family story and emphasize the value of spectacular heritage objects from the collections of the Gavrilă Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea (Oriental art, decorative art, rare book and manuscripts).