Paper short abstract:

Atheism in Albania took a new form after the Constitute of 1976. The religious institutions were closed and most were destroyed and became youth cultural centers. In 9 June 1973 “The atheist museum” was opened.

Paper long abstract:

Atheism in Albania took a new form after the Constitute of 1976 and in the light of Marxist-Leninist ideology become a policy with full rights and its aim was the removal of all beliefs and religions organizations .In 1968 Albania, as other European countries, suffered a cultural revolution, approaching more to the Chinese alliance; thus the churches and mosques were destroyed and their legal status were gradually abolished. The religious institutions were closed and most were destroyed and became youth cultural centers. Whereas all the materials of churches and mosques were gathered in a museum in Shkodra named "The atheist museum", opened on 9 June 1973. This museum was visited by 560 foreign groups and 2500 visitors.

This article aims to focus to the reasons why this museum was opened in Shkodra, its role in the city, impact to tourism seen through the reviews preserved today in the Historical Museum of Shkodra.