Turda History Museum (Princely Palace)

About Turda History Museum (Princely Palace)

The History Museum is housed in Turda's old centre, in a listed historic monument (LMI code CJ-II-m-A-07794) that scholars call the Princely Palace. The house preserves parts from the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century and was originally used to administer salt, hence its old name, the Salt Chamber (Cămara de Sare). In the time of the Báthory princes it was extended to the north (1588) and came to be called the voivodal or princely palace; it was then rebuilt in 1818 and reinforced at the end of the 19th century. The stone balcony above the entrance, carried on corbels, comes from a renovation in the 20th century.

The institution was founded on 22 November 1943 and looks after around 40,000 cultural objects, more than 60% of them from the Roman period, mainly from the camp of the Fifth Legion Macedonica and the ancient town of Potaissa.

Information verified on 23 October 2026.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: Turda is ~30 km south-east of Cluj-Napoca, on the A3 motorway (Turda exit) or the DN1 (~35 minutes); from Alba Iulia it is ~65 km (~45 minutes). The museum is in the old centre, on Strada B.P. Hașdeu, a few steps from Piața Republicii: leave the car in the centre and walk.

Public transport: frequent minibuses Cluj-Napoca – Turda (~45 minutes); from the centre of Turda the museum is a few minutes' walk.

Where to park

In the centre of Turda you park on the surrounding streets, usually for a fee. The easiest option is to leave the car near Piața Republicii and walk for a few minutes.

Fees & discounts

Adult ticket 16 lei; students and pensioners 8 lei; pupils 4 lei. The combined ticket for the History Museum, the Potaissa Roman Camp and the Ethnographic Section, valid for 5 days, costs 42 lei. A guided tour on request (50 minutes) costs 90 lei. Amateur photography is charged at 35 lei per hour (no flash), filming at 350 lei per hour. Admission is free for the categories listed in the tariff (children with special needs, people with a severe or marked disability and their companions, teachers with organised groups, ICOM members, tour guides) and for Euro 26 card holders under 30 on the 26th of the month.

Rules

The visit is self-guided or with a guide on request. Amateur photography is allowed without flash, for a fee; professional photography and filming have separate charges. Do not touch the exhibits and follow the instructions of the gallery staff.

Facilities

Shop with information materials and replicas · guided tours on request · interactive workshops for a fee