National Museum of Romanian History
About National Museum of Romanian History
The National Museum of Romanian History has been housed since 1972 in the Post Office Palace (Palatul Poștelor), at Calea Victoriei 12. The building went up between 1894 and 1900 to plans by the architect Alexandru Săvulescu, who studied the post offices of several European cities and took the one in Geneva as his model. The neoclassical façade has a flight of steps across its whole width, a portico with ten columns and two side wings topped by domes. The building was the head office of the Romanian Post until 1970 and was then fitted out as a museum. It is a historic monument.
The collections cover the history of Romanian lands from prehistory to the modern age, with gold, weapons, inscriptions, documents and objects of the Royal House. Since 2002 most of the building has been closed to the public: the palace has a high seismic risk and is waiting for a large consolidation and restoration project, financed through a loan from the Council of Europe Development Bank. The design work was contracted in 2024, but the collections have to be moved out before construction, and no start date has been set.
What you can see
The Historical Treasury, in a vaulted basement hall, holds over 3,000 pieces of precious metals and stones in 40 display cases: Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmizegetusa Regia, the Pietroasa, Agighiol and Apahida treasures, the Poroina rhyton and Hunnic diadems. From the modern age come Constantin Brâncoveanu's hand cross, a Gospel of 1693 bound in gold, the crowns of Kings Carol I and Ferdinand and of Queens Elisabeth and Marie, King Ferdinand's sceptre and the casket that held Queen Marie's heart, plus jewellery from 1800–1940, including pieces by Cartier.
The Lapidarium, reached from the central hall, brings together 165 stone pieces: Greek decrees and altars from Histria and Tomis, Roman statues, early Christian gravestones, medieval dedication inscriptions and tombstones, and the sarcophagi of Bălașa Cantacuzino and Sofia Potocki. On its lower level are the more than 100 scenes of the copy of Trajan's Column, cast in Rome between 1934 and 1940 and brought to Bucharest in 1967. The casts are laid out horizontally, so the Dacian Wars can be read scene by scene at eye level. Next to them is the model of Trajan's Forum made by Italo Gismondi in 1939. On the entrance steps stands Vasile Gorduz's bronze statue of Trajan with the she-wolf.
Good to know
Only a small part of the museum is open: the Historical Treasury, the Lapidarium with the Column copy and the temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibition of national history cannot be visited until after the restoration. The gold helmet of Coțofenești, recovered in 2026 after the theft in the Netherlands, is being restored in the museum's laboratory. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Information verified on 20 October 2026.
- The crowns of Kings Carol I and Ferdinand and of Queens Elisabeth and Marie, in the Historical Treasury.
- The Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmizegetusa Regia and the Pietroasa treasure.
- The copy of Trajan's Column, with the scenes of the Dacian Wars laid out at eye level.
- Bălașa Cantacuzino's sarcophagus and the medieval dedication inscriptions in the Lapidarium.
- The columned portico of the Post Office Palace and the statue of Trajan with the she-wolf on the steps.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the museum is on Calea Victoriei, at the end near Splaiul Independenței, next to the Old Town and ~5 minutes from Unirii Square. From Ploiești it takes ~1 hour on the A3 and DN1, from Pitești ~1.5 hours on the A1.
Public transport: metro to Piața Unirii (M1, M2, M3) or Universitate (M2), then ~10 minutes on foot; buses 104, 123, 124 and 385 to the Piața Națiunilor Unite stop; trams 7, 27 and 32.
- Where to park
The museum has no car park for visitors. You park on the surrounding streets, for a fee, or in the public car parks around Unirii Square; at weekends and in the evening the spaces in the Old Town fill up quickly. The metro is simpler.
- Fees & discounts
Full ticket 32 lei, seniors 16 lei, pupils, students, adults with a moderate or mild disability and Euro 26 card holders 8 lei. Free entry for children up to 7, children up to 18 in the school holidays, children with special needs, adults with a severe or serious disability and their companions, Euro 26 card holders (up to age 30) on the 26th of each month, ICOM card holders and other categories listed on the museum's website. Guided tour for groups of up to 25 people: 100 lei in Romanian, 150 lei in English or French, booked by e-mail at least 48 hours ahead. Tickets are also sold online, through Eventim.
- Rules
Photography and filming are allowed without flash. Bulky luggage, umbrellas, food and drinks, pets, bicycles and scooters are not allowed in the exhibition halls; smoking, including e-cigarettes, is forbidden. Wheelchair users are asked to announce their visit at least 48 hours ahead. Seniors need an ID showing their personal number for the reduction, and students a valid student card.
- Facilities
museum shop · online shop · guided tours in Romanian, English and French · 3D virtual tours on the website · educational workshops
Frequently asked questions about National Museum of Romanian History
- How much is a ticket to National Museum of Romanian History?
- A ticket to National Museum of Romanian History costs 32 lei (seniors 16 lei, pupils 8 lei). Full ticket 32 lei, seniors 16 lei, pupils, students, adults with a moderate or mild disability and Euro 26 card holders 8 lei. Free entry for children up to 7, children up to 18 in the school holidays, children with special needs, adults with a severe or serious disability and their companions, Euro 26 card holders (up to age 30) on the 26th of each month, ICOM card holders and other categories listed on the museum's website. Guided tour for groups of up to 25 people: 100 lei in Romanian, 150 lei in English or French, booked by e-mail at least 48 hours ahead. Tickets are also sold online, through Eventim.
- What are the opening hours of National Museum of Romanian History?
- Opening hours at National Museum of Romanian History: Monday–Tuesday closed, Wednesday–Sunday 10:00 – 18:00. Wednesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00, visitors admitted until 17:15; closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The hours are the same for the Historical Treasury, the Lapidarium and the copy of Trajan's Column. The museum shop closes 45 minutes before closing time.
- How long does a visit to National Museum of Romanian History take?
- A visit to National Museum of Romanian History takes about 1½ – 2 hours (estimate, Treasury and Lapidarium).
- Can you visit National Museum of Romanian History with kids?
- Yes, National Museum of Romanian History is suitable for children (the gold and the Column, for pupils).
- Where can I park at National Museum of Romanian History?
- There is paid parking at National Museum of Romanian History (on-street, in the Old Town). The museum has no car park for visitors. You park on the surrounding streets, for a fee, or in the public car parks around Unirii Square; at weekends and in the evening the spaces in the Old Town fill up quickly. The metro is simpler.
- How do I get to National Museum of Romanian History?
- National Museum of Romanian History is located at Calea Victoriei 12, București. By car: the museum is on Calea Victoriei, at the end near Splaiul Independenței, next to the Old Town and ~5 minutes from Unirii Square. From Ploiești it takes ~1 hour on the A3 and DN1, from Pitești ~1.5 hours on the A1. Public transport: metro to Piața Unirii (M1, M2, M3) or Universitate (M2), then ~10 minutes on foot; buses 104, 123, 124 and 385 to the Piața Națiunilor Unite stop; trams 7, 27 and 32.
- When is the best time to visit National Museum of Romanian History?
- The best season for National Museum of Romanian History: All year round (all year; closed Mon and Tue).
Reviews
Other attractions nearby
The closest attractions to National Museum of Romanian History, sorted by distance.
0 km from National Museum of Romanian History
0 km from National Museum of Romanian History
1 km from National Museum of Romanian History
