Things to see and do Ciocănești

The museum boasts a fine collection of 3,000 painted eggs, some of them over a hundred years old, belonging to Dr. Anton Setnic, a physician in Botoșani and then Vatra Dornei in the second half of the ^20th century. Fascinated by the art of painted eggs, this collector collected them from all the villages of Bucovina, thanks to his patients. Most of them are still full, making them fragile and difficult to preserve. Grouped by zone, they are presented in small wooden display cases, pyrographed by the doctor himself. The collection reveals the full diversity of this folk art: some eggs feature floral motifs that you won't see elsewhere, others display astonishing yellow and pink colors, while still others play on two-tone sobriety, with wax-drawn motifs... Ciocănești's, meanwhile, are recognizable by their black background and geometric motifs in yellow, red and white tones, similar to those adorning the village's houses. These eggs are sealed with a very specific technique, using beeswax and a tool called a "chişiță": it's a complex process that requires a great deal of meticulousness. You can also admire the works of the winners of the painted egg competition, held every year at the time of the dedicated festival - over 6,000 eggs in all. The museum also has a small store selling painted eggs made by local craftsmen.