National Museum of Transylvanian History
About National Museum of Transylvanian History
The museum stands on Piața Muzeului (Strada Constantin Daicoviciu 2), a few minutes' walk from Piața Unirii, in a building raised in the early 19th century by Major Dániel Petrichevich-Horváth as a private house, meant to become a centre of Cluj's cultural life. The Museum of Antiquities opened here in 1933, and today's history museum has operated here since 1963. Part of the collections come from the Transylvanian Museum Society, founded in 1859; in all, the museum holds over 450,000 items, from prehistory to the modern era.
Of the building's two floors and many rooms, only a part can be visited, in the exhibitions below.
What you can see
The exhibition “Untold Treasures. The History of Transylvania Through Objects”, open since 15 January 2026 on both floors, follows the history of Transylvania in chronological order: from the first human traces in the Carpathian caves, through the Neolithic, early metallurgy, the Dacian period and Roman rule, to the Middle Ages and the threshold of the modern world. Exhibits include mammoth remains, a vessel in the shape of a human face, a Dacian sword, a Roman parade mask, artificially deformed skulls from the Migration Period, medieval candlesticks with winged dragons, crossbows and maces, as well as early images of Cluj.
The Roman Lapidarium, a permanent exhibition, brings together funerary, votive and public monuments from Roman Dacia, among them two altars that attest Napoca's rank as a municipium and later as a colonia. The Medieval and Premodern Lapidarium, with over 600 pieces, holds Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical funerary monuments, architectural fragments and six Baroque statues from the Bánffy castle at Bonțida.
Good to know
Most of the building has been closed to the public since 2005, so a visit is limited to the exhibitions above. The museum's new building, MuTRA – the Historical Gallery of Transylvania in Florești, opened in 2026, has a separate schedule and admits the public only at announced events.
Information verified on 23 October 2026.
- “Untold Treasures”, the history of Transylvania in objects, from a mammoth to images of modern Cluj.
- The altars in the Roman Lapidarium that attest Napoca's rank as a municipium and a colonia.
- The Medieval and Premodern Lapidarium, with over 600 stone pieces.
- The six Baroque statues from the Bánffy castle at Bonțida, in the Medieval Lapidarium.
- The Dacian sword and the Roman parade mask in the exhibition on the two floors.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Cluj-Napoca is on the European route E60, ~150 km from Oradea (~2 hours) and ~180 km from Sibiu (~2 hours 15 minutes on the A1, A10 and A3). The museum is in the old centre, on Piața Muzeului, where narrow streets make driving difficult: leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk.
Public transport: from Cluj-Napoca railway station it is ~2 km, by city bus or trolleybus to the centre and then a few minutes on foot; from Piața Unirii the museum is ~300 m away. From Cluj-Napoca airport (~9 km) you can take a bus or a taxi.
- Where to park
Spaces on the streets in the centre of Cluj are paid, at a machine or in the app, and fill up quickly on weekdays. The public car parks in the centre are a few minutes' walk from the museum.
- Fees & discounts
Adult ticket for all exhibitions 33 lei, for a single exhibition 22 lei; family ticket (2 adults and a child) 60 lei; the combined ticket with the Pharmacy Museum 70 lei. Pensioners 20 lei; pupils, students, Euro 26 card holders (up to 30 years old) and adults with a medium or mild disability 10 lei; organised groups of more than 15 adults pay 25 lei per person. Admission is free for pre-school children, for children up to 18 during school holidays, for ICOM card holders, for pensioners on Wednesdays, for children on 1 June, for pensioners on 1 October and for Euro 26 card holders under 30 on the 26th of the month. A guided tour, for at most 30 people, is booked at least three days ahead at [email protected] and costs, for all spaces, 220 lei in Romanian or Hungarian and 385 lei in English; for a single exhibition, 110 lei and 275 lei respectively. Tickets can also be bought online.
- Rules
The visit is self-guided or with a guide by appointment. Professional photo shoots are charged. Follow the instructions of the gallery staff and do not touch the exhibits.
- Facilities
Online tickets · guided tours in Romanian, Hungarian and English · museum education workshops · explanatory texts in Romanian, English and Hungarian in the Roman Lapidarium
Frequently asked questions about National Museum of Transylvanian History
- How much is a ticket to National Museum of Transylvanian History?
- A ticket to National Museum of Transylvanian History costs 33 lei (one exhibition 22 lei, pupils 10). Adult ticket for all exhibitions 33 lei, for a single exhibition 22 lei; family ticket (2 adults and a child) 60 lei; the combined ticket with the Pharmacy Museum 70 lei. Pensioners 20 lei; pupils, students, Euro 26 card holders (up to 30 years old) and adults with a medium or mild disability 10 lei; organised groups of more than 15 adults pay 25 lei per person. Admission is free for pre-school children, for children up to 18 during school holidays, for ICOM card holders, for pensioners on Wednesdays, for children on 1 June, for pensioners on 1 October and for Euro 26 card holders under 30 on the 26th of the month. A guided tour, for at most 30 people, is booked at least three days ahead at [email protected] and costs, for all spaces, 220 lei in Romanian or Hungarian and 385 lei in English; for a single exhibition, 110 lei and 275 lei respectively. Tickets can also be bought online.
- What are the opening hours of National Museum of Transylvanian History?
- Opening hours at National Museum of Transylvanian History: Monday closed, Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 – 18:00. Last entry at 17:15. Closed on Mondays. On Wednesdays admission is free for pensioners.
- How long does a visit to National Museum of Transylvanian History take?
- A visit to National Museum of Transylvanian History takes about ½ – 1 hours (three exhibitions).
- Can you visit National Museum of Transylvanian History with kids?
- Yes, National Museum of Transylvanian History is suitable for children (workshops, free in holidays).
- Where can I park at National Museum of Transylvanian History?
- There is paid parking at National Museum of Transylvanian History (on the streets in the centre). Spaces on the streets in the centre of Cluj are paid, at a machine or in the app, and fill up quickly on weekdays. The public car parks in the centre are a few minutes' walk from the museum.
- How do I get to National Museum of Transylvanian History?
- National Museum of Transylvanian History is located at Strada Constantin Daicoviciu 2, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. By car: Cluj-Napoca is on the European route E60, ~150 km from Oradea (~2 hours) and ~180 km from Sibiu (~2 hours 15 minutes on the A1, A10 and A3). The museum is in the old centre, on Piața Muzeului, where narrow streets make driving difficult: leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk. Public transport: from Cluj-Napoca railway station it is ~2 km, by city bus or trolleybus to the centre and then a few minutes on foot; from Piața Unirii the museum is ~300 m away. From Cluj-Napoca airport (~9 km) you can take a bus or a taxi.
- When is the best time to visit National Museum of Transylvanian History?
- The best season for National Museum of Transylvanian History: All year round (open all year).
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