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curatorial  /  Art   /  Explorer in Bucharest: TOP 8 art museums that will inspire you

Explorer in Bucharest: TOP 8 art museums that will inspire you

In addition to the already famous sights such as the Palace of Parliament and Calea Victoriei, Bucharest is also a favorite destination for art museum lovers, who can find buildings housing Romanian and international masterpieces. From Theodor Pallady and Nicolae Grigorescu to Rembrandt, Tintoretto and Monet, the Romanian capital’s museums are home to exceptional works. We invite you to take a step-by-step tour of the most important art museums to visit in Bucharest that preserve immortal stories and celebrate art.

National Art Museum of Romania (MNAR)

Art enthusiasts have certainly heard about the National Art Museum of Romania, which is the most important art museum in the country, housed in the Royal Palace in Bucharest. The museum was established in 1948 and has one of the largest and most valuable collections of paintings in Romania. An important part of the collection belonged to King Carol I, originally housed at Peles Castle, but there are also exhibits that have come here from other museums in the country and in Bucharest, including the first art museum in the capital, which was founded in 1836.

national art museum of romania (mnar)

MNAR

The museum comprises two art galleries: the European Art Gallery and the Romanian Modern Art Gallery. The former includes paintings, sculptures and decorative art from the 14th to the 20th century, while the latter was reopened in 2001 and includes works of early Romanian painting, works by the great masters of modern Romanian art (Nicolae Grigorescu and Ion Andreescu), as well as works by Constantin Brâncuși.

Contact National Art Museum of Romania

Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 10:00-18:00; Saturday-Sunday – 11:00-19:00, Monday and Tuesday – closed Address: Calea Victoriei 49-53, sector 1, Bucharest, code 010063 Location: National Art Museum of Romania Phone: 021.313.3030 (central) or 021.314.8119

Zambaccian Museum

The impressive collection assembled by collector and art critic Krikor H. Zambaccian includes Romanian masterpieces by Grigorescu, Luchian, Tonitza and famous sculptures by Brâncuși and Oscar Han. In addition, the Zambaccian Museum houses rare works by international masters such as Cézanne, Picasso and Matisse, unique in Romania. The museum is housed in an elegant house built especially for the collection. This makes it one of those places to visit in the capital that should not be missed by lovers of beauty and culture.

Contact Museum “K. H. Zambaccian” Museum

Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 10:00-18:00; Saturday-Sunday – 11:00-19:00, Monday and Tuesday – closed Address: 21A Zambaccian Museum Street, Bucharest Location: Zambaccian Art Museum Phone: 021.230.1920

Theodor Pallady Museum

Another place to visit in Bucharest is the Theodor Pallady Museum, housed in Casa Melik, one of the oldest and most beautiful negustorești houses in Bucharest. Donated in the 1960s by Serafina and Gheorghe Răut, the collection includes canvases and more than 800 drawings signed by Theodor Pallady during his Parisian period, as well as European paintings from the 16th-19th centuries, Renaissance sculptures, period furniture and oriental ceramics. The Melik House retains its traditional charm with its traditional style with its original original staircase, wooden staircase and wide eaves roof, a place where art and history harmoniously intertwine.

Contact Theodor Pallady Museum

Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 10:00-18:00; Saturday-Sunday – 11:00-19:00, Monday and Tuesday – closed Address: 22 Spătarului Street, Bucharest Location: Theodor Pallady Museum Phone: 021.211.4979

Museum of Art Collections

The Museum of Art Collections, housed in the former Romanit Palace, offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Romanian collectors in the 20th century. The over 30 collections include masterpieces by Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Nicolae Tonitza and Gheorghe Petrașcu, as well as graphics, sculpture, decorative art, Transylvanian icons, French furniture and oriental carpets.

museum of art collections

Museum of Art Collections

Contact Art Collections Museum

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, 10:00-18:00; Saturday-Sunday – 11:00-19:00; Wednesday and Thursday – closed Address: 111 Calea Victoriei, Bucharest Location: Art Collections Museum Phone: 021.650.6132

National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC)

This museum was established in 2001 as a place dedicated to contemporary art and cultural dialog. The MNAC collection includes more than 7000 post-war works, documents and photographs that capture Romanian visual culture. It organizes art exhibitions, debates and events. The contrast between the monumental building of the Parliament Palace, where it is housed, and the innovative art reflects Romania’s social and ideological transformations.

Contact National Museum of Contemporary Art

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 11:00-18:30 Address: Calea 13 Septembrie 1-3, gate B3 / entrance E1, wing E4, sector 5, 050563, Bucharest Location: National Museum of Contemporary Art of Romania Phone: 021.318.9137

Theodor Aman Museum

Theodor Aman Museum, inaugurated in 1908, is an architectural and artistic jewel of Bucharest and is part of the Bucharest Municipal Museum. Built in 1868 according to the plans of the painter Theodor Aman, the residence is the first house-workshop in Romania to have been preserved intact over the years. The exterior, co-decorated with sculptor Karl Storck, and the sumptuous interior, with murals, stained-glass windows and furniture by the artist, reflect Aman’s complete vision. The museum preserves the atmosphere of the Belle Époque, offering a glimpse into the artist’s private life and displaying much of his work.

Contact Theodor Aman Museum

Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 – 18:00 Address: 8 C.A. Rosetti Str., Bucharest Location: Theodor Aman Museum Phone: 021.315.6858

“Ing. Dumitru Furnică-Minovici”

The museum is an architectural masterpiece and an example of dedication to art and heritage. Built between 1939-1942 with an impressive budget of more than 7 million gold lei, the project was realized in the Tudor style with Gothic influences to combine aesthetics and museum functionality. Donated to the Romanian Academy in 1945, the house became a museum open to the public in 1946 and is a landmark in the history of Western art. The museum’s collection includes medieval stained-glass windows, art furniture, rare books, tapestries and paintings acquired from European antiquarians.

Contact “Ing. Dumitru Furnică-Minovici”

Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 – 18:00

Address. Doctor Minovici Nicolae 3 , sector 1, Bucharest Location:

“Ing.

Phone: 021.665.7334

Vasile Grigore Art Museum

The museum reveals a fascinating collection, inaugurated on May 25, 2004, which bears the stamp of the artist and collector Vasile Grigore. The 500 pieces on display reflect a deep interest in interwar and contemporary Romanian painting, sculpture and graphics. His love for Romanian folk art is reflected in the authentic objects illustrating the diversity of decorative motifs. This passion has materialized in a remarkable ethnographic collection, complemented by works from multiple fields of fine arts.

vasile grigore museum, curatorial.ro

Vasile Grigore Art Museum, curatorial.ro

Contact Vasile Grigore Art Museum

Schedule: Monday – Friday – 10:30 – 16:30; Saturday – Sunday – by appointment only Address: 29 Maria Rosetti Str., sector 2, Bucharest Location: Vasile Grigore Art Museum Phone: 021.211.5409 Visiting the art museums in Bucharest is an exciting experience, full of emotion, color and stories. Choose to get to know the Romanian people through the art created by its outstanding exponents over the centuries.