The National Museum of Art of Romania (Muzeul Național de Artă al României) is the most important and most comprehensive art museum in Romania. It’s main collection is displayed at its headquarters inside the former Royal Palace on Victory Avenue in central Bucharest and consists of medieval and modern art from Romania and abroad. The museum also administers three satellite branches: the Art Collections Museum, the Zambaccian Art Museum, and the Theodor Pallady Museum.
History Of The Museum
The National Museum of Art of Romania was established in 1948, after King Michael I was abdicated by the post-war communist regime and the royal assets were seized. The museum was set up in the former Royal Palace of Bucharest with the private collection of King Carol I previously kept at Peleș Castle in Sinaia and other royal residences. Collections from other museums and private collections that were nationalized were also brought to the Royal Palace to grow the exhibition.
Over time, the collection grew by acquisitions and donations and now consists of over 70,000 art pieces from Romania and abroad, dating from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The collection includes works by the most famous Romanian artists as well as renowned artists from other European countries and is therefore considered the most important and most comprehensive art collection in the country.
Museum Collections
The National Museum of Art of Romania has a permanent collection consisting of three separate sections and also often houses temporary collections.
National Art Gallery
The National Art Gallery consists of works from Romanian artists and is divided into two sections: a medieval and a modern gallery. The Romanian Medieval Art Gallery contains over 900 religious art pieces including icons, mural paintings, manuscripts, woodcarvings, embroideries, silverware, fresco paintings, and complete iconostases from historic churches.
The Romanian Modern Art Gallery consists of works from the mid 19th century to the late 20th century. Among the collection are paintings by Theodor Aman, Theodor Pallady, Nicolae Grigorescu, Gheorghe Petrașcu, and Gheorghe Tattarescu, and sculptures by Constantin Brâncuși, Karl Storck, and Dimitrie Paciurea.
European Art Gallery
The European Art Gallery was founded with the private collection of King Carol I, which consists of art works from artists across Europe. Over time, the collection has grown further through acquisitions and donations. The gallery is divided by country and consists of works by Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, Abraham Mignon, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan van Eyck, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Demenico Veneziano, and El Greco.
European Decorative Art Gallery
The European Decorative Art Gallery showcases the richest and most valuable collection of European decorative art in Romania. The collection consists of 16th to 19th century works by craftsmen from Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Russia. Among the items on display are furniture pieces, textiles, ceramics, glassworks, and metal items.
Visiting The Museum
Each of the three sections of the National Museum of Art of Romania can be visited separately with a ticket for the specific gallery, or you can buy a combination ticket to visit them all. You can also visit the main halls of the Royal Palace: the Throne Hall, the Royal Dining Room, and the Voivode’s Stairs, either with a separate ticket or opt for one of the combi tickets available.
There are also combi tickets available that include access to the other branches of the museum: the Art Collections Museum, the Zambaccian Art Museum, and the Theodor Pallady Museum. More information about the various ticket options and prices can be found here.
