The museum’s permanent exhibitions display the basic living nutrition, housing and clothing needs aiming to familiarize people, especially younger generations with the traditions of recent past. The approximately 20,000 objects from of the collection include traditional garments, wood and metal works, embroideries, musical instruments, wooden and copper utensils, shadow theatre puppets etc.
The museum is located at an early-20th century mansion known as “Modiano Mansion” at the east of the city, owned initially by the Jewish banker Yiako Modiano, or as “The old Governor’s Residence” because it was the official residence of the Commander of Macedonia during Interwar period. It is one of the remaining samples of bourgeois residences in Eclectistic style, developed at the coastal area of “Towers” or “Exohon” district that housed prominent Thessalonian families since late-19th century.