Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University
About Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University
The Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University was founded in 1859 as a department of the Transylvanian Museum and holds some of the oldest zoological collections in south-eastern Europe. Today it occupies, over about 700 m², the ground floor of the Faculty of Biology and Geology building on Strada Clinicilor, at the edge of the Mikó Garden in Cluj-Napoca. It remains above all a teaching museum, but it is open to every visitor.
The permanent exhibition is arranged by complexity, from the simplest animals to mammals, and spreads over three rooms linked by a diorama hall.
What you can see
The first room holds the invertebrates (sponges, cnidarians, worms, molluscs, crustaceans, insects, echinoderms), then fish, amphibians and reptiles; most exhibits are preserved in liquid, and thematic insect cases show butterfly camouflage and mimicry or the stages of silk production. The second room is devoted to birds and mammals, with display cases by family, nests and eggs, and taxidermied specimens.
The diorama hall has six large dioramas (the Danube Delta, a heron colony, birds of prey by day, the fauna of the plains, surviving the winter) and a micro-diorama with 45 hummingbirds. The museum's scientific collections, not all of them on display, include the oldest butterfly collection in Romania, assembled by Joseph von Franzenau (first catalogue, 1850), and the spiders studied by Ottó Herman.
Good to know
The entrance is in the faculty building, on Strada Clinicilor. For groups, free thematic guided tours are organised where possible, in Romanian, Hungarian and English.
- Six large dioramas, from the Danube Delta to the heron colony and birds of prey, with a micro-diorama of 45 hummingbirds.
- An exhibition that follows animal evolution from sponges to mammals, in three rooms.
- The Joseph von Franzenau butterfly collection, the oldest in Romania (first catalogue, 1850).
- Liquid-preserved exhibits: fish, reptiles, crustaceans and spiders in tubes sealed with beeswax.
- The collection of bird nests and eggs (about 3,500 pieces in storage).
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
On foot: from Piața Unirii it is ~1.1 km, about 15 minutes, along the streets of the centre towards the Mikó Garden. By car: ~1.2 km from Piața Unirii (~3 minutes), but spaces are few in the central area. The museum is on the ground floor of the Faculty of Biology and Geology building, Strada Clinicilor 5-7, next to the Mikó Garden.
- Where to park
On the streets around the university buildings parking is paid and spaces are few on weekdays; 10–15 minutes' walk away, in the centre, there are also public car parks.
- Fees & discounts
Adult ticket 20 lei; pupils, students and pensioners 10 lei; family ticket (2 adults and a child, further children enter free) 45 lei. Admission is free for UBB students and staff (with their card), for children under 3 and for people with disabilities. Tickets can also be bought online.
- Rules
The visit is self-guided; for groups, free thematic guided tours can be arranged where possible, in Romanian, Hungarian and English. Do not touch the display cases or the exhibits and follow the staff's instructions.
- Facilities
online tickets · thematic guided tours for groups, in Romanian, Hungarian and English
Frequently asked questions about Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University
How much is a ticket to Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University?
A ticket to Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University costs 20 lei (pupils, pensioners 10 lei). More under “Fees & discounts”
What are the opening hours of Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University?
Opening hours at Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University: Monday closed, Tuesday–Friday 10:00 – 16:00, Saturday–Sunday 10:00 – 14:00. More under “Opening hours”
How long does a visit to Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University take?
A visit to Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University takes about ½ – 1 hours (about an hour, estimate).
Can you visit Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University with kids?
Yes, Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University is suitable for children (dioramas and stuffed animals).
Where can I park at Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University?
There is paid parking at Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University (on the surrounding streets). More under “Where to park”
How do I get to Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University?
Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University is located at Strada Clinicilor 5-7, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University?
The best season for Zoological Museum of Babeș-Bolyai University: All year round (open all year).
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