Museum
Bucharest Municipality Museum
Bucharest Municipality Museum is a museum.
About Bucharest Municipality Museum
Overview
The Bucharest Municipality Museum (Muzeul Municipiului București) is a major cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Bucharest from prehistoric times to the present day. Housed in the historic Suțu Palace on University Square in the city's old town, the museum boasts a heritage of over 400,000 objects. These items, ranging from archaeological artifacts and ethnographic objects to fine art and documents, capture the evolving profile of the settlement and attest to the facts, events, and personalities that have shaped the capital's memory.
History & Founding
The institution traces its roots to the Pinacoteca, founded by a decree issued by King Carol II on June 1, 1933, and inaugurated on November 20, 1933, with Dr. George Severeanu as its first director. However, the museum as it exists today in its current location was established later. The Suțu Palace, which had served as a private aristocratic residence until the early 20th century, became the new headquarters of the Bucharest Municipal Museum starting in 1956. Following a restoration period between 1956 and 1958, the museum officially opened to the public on January 23, 1959. The main exhibition was later redone and reopened on May 15, 2015, under the title 'Time of the City'.
Building & Architecture
The museum is located in the Suțu Palace, one of the oldest aristocratic residences in Bucharest and a rare example of a building that has remained largely unchanged for over 150 years. Constructed between 1833 and 1835 for the aristocrat Costache Suțu, the palace was designed by Viennese architects Conrad Schwenk and Johann Veit in a Neo-Gothic style. A significant interior renovation and modernization occurred around 1862, led by the renowned sculptor and decorative artist Karl Storck. This renovation included the addition of a monumental staircase divided into two arms and the installation of a large mirror from Murano above the front wall to create a perspective effect, topped by a carved wooden medallion of Irina Suțu.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
The museum's collections are diverse, encompassing over 400,000 objects. Key holdings include the 'Maria and Dr. George Severeanu' collection of antiquities, a numismatic collection of approximately 38,000 coins and bills, and a para-numismatic collection of 20,000 objects such as medals and insignias. The library houses 1,957 tomes, including manuscripts from the 18th and 19th centuries and old Romanian tomes from 1648 to 1830. The art collections feature over 100 paintings by prominent Romanian artists like Theodor Pallady, Lucian Grigorescu, and Ion Andreescu, as well as a sculpture collection and a maps and plans collection featuring works by Abraham Ortelius and G. Mercator. The decorative arts section includes 4,747 pieces of porcelain and 227 pieces of furniture.
Significance & Legacy
The Bucharest Municipality Museum serves as the primary repository for the city's historical memory, offering a comprehensive narrative of Bucharest's development through its extensive and varied holdings. Its significance lies in its ability to document the city's evolution from prehistoric eras to the modern post-Communist era through archaeological finds, photographs, and art. The museum's unique 'Time of the City' exhibition, which begins with a backward-running clock from the Collin House of Paris found within the palace, provides a narrative journey that allows visitors to explore the city's past. The institution also preserves the legacy of the Suțu family and the architectural heritage of the 19th-century aristocratic residence, maintaining it as a cultural landmark in the historic center.
What to see at Bucharest Municipality Museum
Start with Luptele românești din 1917 by Ion Stoica Dumitrescu.
What's on
- Expoziție tematică: „Constantin I. Nottara: Scena este viața mea!” — 2From 30 Jul 2019