The House of Leaves takes its nickname from the creeper that covers its walls, a gentle disguise for one of the darkest addresses in Tirana. The villa was built in 1931 as an obstetric clinic for Dr Jani Basho, but during the Second World War it was taken over by the Gestapo, and after the war it served as an investigation centre where prisoners were tortured until 1948. From the 1950s until the regime fell in 1991, it housed the technical branch of the State Security service, which designed, built and tested the listening devices and cameras used to spy on Albanians. Today it is the Museum of Secret Surveillance, and its rooms display the original equipment, hidden microphones and secret files, together with the stories of people who were watched and the officers who watched them. It is smaller and more intimate than Bunk’Art, and many visitors find it the more chilling of the two.
How it works: the museum is on Rruga Dëshmorët e 4 Shkurtit, a few minutes’ walk north-west of Skanderbeg Square. In winter, from mid-October to the start of May, it opens Tuesday to Saturday from morning to mid-afternoon and on Sunday for shorter hours, and it is closed on Mondays. From May to mid-October it opens daily into the evening. Tickets are modestly priced and sold at the door.
What to expect: a dozen or so rooms over two floors, with displays in Albanian and English. Look out for the workshops where microphones were hidden in everyday objects, the reconstructed listening room and the walls of personal files. Allow an hour, more if you read the testimonies.
Making the most of it: combine it with Bunk’Art 2 for a half day on the communist era, then decompress with a coffee in Blloku, the former leaders’ quarter that is now Tirana’s liveliest district. If you have time, a guided communist-history walk ties the two museums together with the stories of the streets in between.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided visit through two floors of rooms with original surveillance equipment and testimonies.
Best time
Mid-morning on a weekday, remembering that the museum is closed on Mondays in winter.
How long
About an hour.
Tips
Check the seasonal hours, which are shorter from mid-October to May, and leave time to read the personal stories.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History lovers and anyone curious about how a surveillance state really worked.
- Families
- Good for teenagers; younger children will find little to hold their attention.
- Couples
- A quiet, absorbing hour before an evening in nearby Blloku.
- Pair with
- Bunk’Art 2 and a communist-history walking tour.
- Time needed
- About an hour.
Good questions
Why is it called the House of Leaves?+
The nickname comes from the climbing plant that covers the villa’s walls. Its official name is the Museum of Secret Surveillance.
Is the House of Leaves open on Mondays?+
In winter, from mid-October to May, it is closed on Mondays. From May to mid-October it opens every day.
How long do you need at the House of Leaves?+
About an hour is enough for most visitors. Allow longer if you want to read every testimony.
Is it better than Bunk’Art?+
It is smaller and more focused on surveillance, while Bunk’Art covers more ground. Many visitors do both, starting with Bunk’Art 2 nearby.
Are the exhibits in English?+
Yes, the displays are in Albanian and English. Staff at the desk can also point you to the key rooms.
