#Exhibit of the Month

The Chișinău Diocesan Girls' School opened its doors on May 3, 1864, addressing a pressing need: in Bessarabia there were no institutions dedicated to the education of clergy's daughters. According to the 1864 circular, teaching was conducted in the Romanian language, a provision applied throughout the diocese. The school's first headmistress was Anastasia Rizo, of noble origin, invited by Archbishop Antonie.

The curriculum, approved by the Ministry of Public Education and the Chișinău Diocese, combined theoretical subjects with practical training. Students studied religion, reading and writing in Romanian, Slavonic, and Russian, arithmetic and exercises in calculation, world history and geography. The program was complemented by church singing and practical skills such as sewing, embroidery, knitting, as well as household management - baking bread and prosphora, preparing meals and preserves, caring for livestock, and cultivating gardens.

The composite, taken in 1911 at the studio of Z. N. Sumovski in Chișinău, depicts 29 graduates and 13 teachers. At the center are portraits of Bishop Serafim (Ciciagov), headmistress N. R. Mihelson, teacher V. E. Bejerian, and priests F. Ghiliarov and P. Jurikas. Among the teaching staff was Paraskovia Vasilievna Cuciurenko, a calligraphy teacher for 37 years, who in 1911 became senior educator and assistant headmistress. For her dedication, she was awarded the gold medal "For Long Service."

On the reverse of the vignette is a label from the store and workshop of frames, paintings, mirrors, and window glass owned by A. D. Kon'gova, Chișinău, Gogol Street no. 37, near the State Bank.

This graduation composite was donated at the end of 2025 to the National Museum of History of Moldova by the Dadiștian family from Drochia.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

“Observing the Coasts from Space. A Scientific Perspective through the Eyes of Sentinel-2 Satellites”

September 5 – October 1, 2025

The National Museum of History of Moldova, in partnership with the Embassy of Spain to Romania and the Republic of Moldova, based in Bucharest, invites the public to explore a unique outdoor exhibition dedicated to the scientific observation of coastal zones through the lens of Sentinel-2 satellites.

786 kilometers - this is the precise altitude at which the twin satellites Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B orbit the Earth. This satellite constellation is part of the European Earth observation program Copernicus, coordinated by the European Space Agency and the European Commission.

These satellites capture electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the seas, a phenomenon known as ocean color. Flying at an altitude of 786 km, these optical instruments provide essential data on coasts, lagoons, estuaries, marshes, beaches, mangroves, and coral reefs - all viewed from a unique vantage point ideal for studying oceanographic and biological processes.

With a spatial resolution of 10 meters, Sentinel-2 enables detailed mapping of these complex ecosystems, revolutionizing how we understand the planet's most sensitive and vulnerable regions. Thanks to these satellites, we can assess the impact of extreme events - typhoons, hurricanes, tropical storms - on coastal areas and quantify the consequences of natural disasters and climate change.

The images featured in this exhibition are the result of three years of research within the Sen2Coast project, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, the National Research Agency, and FEDER funds. The project aligns with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which promotes ocean preservation through science and research.

Through the eyes of satellites, the coasts become a magnificent open-air museum, accessible to all. They invite contemplation and awareness of the importance of protecting and conserving these natural treasures. Science and art merge on the surface of the deep blue, offering scenes as spectacular as those presented here.

The exhibition "Observing the Coasts from Space. A Scientific Perspective through the Eyes of Sentinel-2 Satellites" can be visited from September 5 to October 1, 2025, on the fence of the National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 Street, No. 121 A, Hall 2, Chișinău.