History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)
About History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)
Altemberger House stands on Strada Mitropoliei, a few steps from the Grand Square (Piața Mare), and is one of the most important ensembles of civil Gothic architecture in Transylvania. It has ten building units and a defence tower; the oldest part is the tower-house, begun at the end of the 13th century. The house was built in the second half of the 15th century by the mayor Thomas Altemberger, and in 1545 it was bought by the town magistracy, which had its seat here until 1948: this is why it is also known as the Old Town Hall.
The complex was restored, with interruptions, between 1967 and 1988 to house the History Museum of the Brukenthal National Museum. The permanent exhibition, reorganised in 2006–2007, follows local history from the Palaeolithic to the national emancipation movement of the Romanians of southern Transylvania in the 18th–20th centuries, starting from everyday life: caves, pit dwellings, the Roman villa, the medieval home.
What you can see
The route runs through the Gothic halls and the two courtyards. In the first courtyard stand, since 2018, bronze busts of figures from national history, placed for the centenary of the Great Union. The second courtyard, called the Martyrs' Garden (Grădina Martirilor), has a loggia with Renaissance influences, whose four corbels carry stone portraits of men.
The permanent exhibitions are the Ancient Lapidary and the Medieval Lapidary, Arms and Armour, the Treasury (rare coins, jewellery and silverware), Sibiu Guilds, Glass in Transylvania, Coins and Medals, the Evolution of Human Communities in Southern Transylvania and the National Movement of the Romanians of Transylvania.
Good to know
The History Museum has its own ticket, separate from the one for the Brukenthal Palace on the Grand Square; the sections of the Brukenthal National Museum can also be visited with a single ticket valid for 48 hours. The entrance is through the arched gateway from Strada Mitropoliei.
Information verified on 23 October 2026.
- The tower-house from the end of the 13th century, the oldest part of the complex.
- The loggia in the Martyrs' Garden, with its four corbels carrying stone portraits.
- The Ancient and Medieval Lapidaries.
- The arms and armour hall, with swords, suits of armour and the first firearms.
- The Treasury, with rare coins, jewellery and silverware.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Sibiu is on the A1 motorway; from Cluj-Napoca it is ~180 km (~2 hours 15 minutes on the A10 and A1), from Brașov ~145 km on the DN1 (~2 hours 30 minutes) and from Bucharest ~270 km on the A1 and the DN7 through the Olt Valley (~4 hours). The museum is in the Upper Town, on Strada Mitropoliei, where car access is restricted: leave the car in a car park around the centre and walk.
Public transport: from Sibiu railway station it is ~1.5 km, about 20 minutes' walk, or a few stops on Tursib buses to the centre; from the Grand Square the museum is a few minutes' walk. There are buses and taxis from Sibiu airport (~5 km).
- Where to park
Spaces on the streets around the historic centre are paid, at a machine, by text message or in the app, and there are few of them. The nearest public car parks are Cazarma 90, near Strada Nicolae Bălcescu, and the one on Piața Teatrului, 5–10 minutes' walk away. In summer, at weekends and on festival days they fill up quickly.
- Fees & discounts
Adult ticket 36 lei; pensioners 18 lei; pupils, students, Euro 26 card holders and people with a medium or mild disability 9 lei. A single ticket for all sections of the Brukenthal National Museum, valid for 48 hours, costs 120 lei (adults). Temporary exhibitions have separate tickets, between 10 and 50 lei. Admission is free for pre-school children, for ICOM card and press card holders, and on the first Thursday of each month for pensioners and Sibiu residents; Euro 26 card holders under 30 enter free on the 26th of the month. A guided tour of the exhibitions, in Romanian or English, costs 200 lei for 60 minutes and must be requested at least 48 hours ahead at [email protected].
- Rules
The visit is self-guided or with a guide on request. Professional photography and filming are charged (for example, 500 lei per hour in the museum for private individuals). Follow the instructions of the gallery staff and do not touch the exhibits.
- Facilities
Shop with the museum's publications and products · online tickets · inner courtyards · guided tours on request
Frequently asked questions about History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)
- How much is a ticket to History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)?
- A ticket to History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) costs 36 lei (pensioners 18, pupils 9 lei). Adult ticket 36 lei; pensioners 18 lei; pupils, students, Euro 26 card holders and people with a medium or mild disability 9 lei. A single ticket for all sections of the Brukenthal National Museum, valid for 48 hours, costs 120 lei (adults). Temporary exhibitions have separate tickets, between 10 and 50 lei. Admission is free for pre-school children, for ICOM card and press card holders, and on the first Thursday of each month for pensioners and Sibiu residents; Euro 26 card holders under 30 enter free on the 26th of the month. A guided tour of the exhibitions, in Romanian or English, costs 200 lei for 60 minutes and must be requested at least 48 hours ahead at [email protected].
- What are the opening hours of History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)?
- Opening hours at History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger): Monday–Tuesday closed, Wednesday–Sunday 09:00 – 17:00. The ticket desk closes at 16:15. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Free for pensioners and Sibiu residents (with ID) on the first Thursday of each month.
- How long does a visit to History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) take?
- A visit to History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) takes about 1 – 1½ hours (duration estimated by the museum).
- Can you visit History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) with kids?
- Yes, History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) is suitable for children (arms, armour and costumes).
- Where can I park at History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)?
- There is paid parking at History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) (on the streets around the centre). Spaces on the streets around the historic centre are paid, at a machine, by text message or in the app, and there are few of them. The nearest public car parks are Cazarma 90, near Strada Nicolae Bălcescu, and the one on Piața Teatrului, 5–10 minutes' walk away. In summer, at weekends and on festival days they fill up quickly.
- How do I get to History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)?
- History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger) is located at Strada Mitropoliei 2, Sibiu, Sibiu County. By car: Sibiu is on the A1 motorway; from Cluj-Napoca it is ~180 km (~2 hours 15 minutes on the A10 and A1), from Brașov ~145 km on the DN1 (~2 hours 30 minutes) and from Bucharest ~270 km on the A1 and the DN7 through the Olt Valley (~4 hours). The museum is in the Upper Town, on Strada Mitropoliei, where car access is restricted: leave the car in a car park around the centre and walk. Public transport: from Sibiu railway station it is ~1.5 km, about 20 minutes' walk, or a few stops on Tursib buses to the centre; from the Grand Square the museum is a few minutes' walk. There are buses and taxis from Sibiu airport (~5 km).
- When is the best time to visit History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger)?
- The best season for History Museum – Altemberger House (Casa Altemberger): All year round (open all year).
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