Most Bucharest museums will have free entry on Thursday, January 15. All these are state-owned museums for celebrating Romania’s Culture Day – the day Romanian National Poet Mihai Eminescu was born.
If you’re in Bucharest on Thursday, January 15, on a city break, here are our recommended museums offering free entry to the general public.
What museums to visit on Free Entry Day: January 15
Cotroceni National Museum
Cotroceni is where the Central Powers and Romania signed the Treaty of Bucharest at the war’s end in 1918. In 1949, the Cotroceni Palace became the Palace of the Communist Youth Organisation (The Communist Pioneers). In 1977, during the earthquake, the palace was heavily damaged. The architect Nicolae Vladescu rebuilt it and added a new wing, which today houses the Presidential Administration.
The Cotroceni National Museum offers free access to visitors who opt for the self-guided tour. The exhibition route includes the official salons on the first floor and the Royal Family apartments on the second floor.
Access will be via the gate on Cotroceni Road, using an original identity document or passport, at the following times: 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, and 16:00.
The National Art Museum of Romania, MNAR
The National Museum of Art of Romania showcases the country’s most comprehensive collection of fine art. The proximity to the Romanian Athenaeum enhances the museum’s visibility among tourists. Through all it represents, the museum is a must-see tourist attraction while in Bucharest.
On Thursday, January 15, 2026, on the occasion of National Culture Day, admission is free to all MNAR galleries and satellite museums, and the public is invited, from 4:00 PM, to a recital by the Arpeggio Women’s Choir, along with Ioana Turcu (piano) and Bianca Mihaela Vasile (soloist).
The concert takes place within the framework of the exhibition “Romania. The identity representation of folk costume in art”. The choir, founded in Rome in 2014 and conducted by Simona Moldoveanu, constantly promotes Romanian music on stages in Europe.
The National History Museum of Romania
The National History Museum spans 8,000 square meters and houses approximately 60 precious exhibition rooms. Going through them, we can get acquainted with archeological testimonies about the presence of man on the territory of Romania from Paleolithic (600,000 years – 6,000 years BC), the material and spiritual culture of the Geto-Dacians, the Dacian-Roman wars and the transformation of Dacia into the province of the Empire, but also the novel, the emergence and the completion of the state power structures in medieval society, the Phanariote rulers, the bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1848, the independence, the outbreak of the two world wars and the entry of Romania under Russian influence.
Visiting hours: 9 AM-5 PM. Last entry: 4:15 PM.
National Museum of Old Maps and Books
The museum’s treasury boasts over 780 works spanning from the 16th to the 20th century. Among them, you’ll discover maps delineating regions inhabited by various cultures and their ancestors, as well as continents across the globe, along with astronomical maps and city plans. Additionally, the museum’s collection includes graphic works featuring landscapes, portraits, and traditional costumes.
Visiting hours: 10 AM – 6 PM
“Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History
Located near Piata Victoriei, on Pavel Dimitrievici Kiseleff Road no. 1, the Antipa Museum is one of Romania’s oldest institutions for biodiversity research and public education. At the same time, it is one of the most highly regarded museums in the country, boasting an impressive collection of well-crafted exhibits. In 2009, the Antipa Museum underwent an impressive modernisation, thus becoming one of the most sought-after museums in the capital city of Romania.
On Culture Day, the Antipa Museum offers free admission to its permanent exhibition and to the “8” exhibition, featuring approximately 80 live tarantulas from different corners of the world.
Visiting hours: 10 AM – 6 PM. Last entry: 5 PM.
National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC)
Experience the pulse of Romania’s contemporary art scene at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC), a cultural landmark nestled in the striking glass wing of the Palace of Parliament. Since its opening in 2004, MNAC has become a vibrant hub for artistic innovation, dialogue, and discovery, offering visitors a unique journey through the ever-evolving world of modern creativity.
The National Museum of Contemporary Art of Romania (MNAC) will host a guided tour of the exhibition “The Twist. The Triumph of the Province, the Twilight of Empires” on January 15 at 5:30 PM on the ground floor, led by the exhibition curator, Călin Dan. The tour is followed by a DJ set in the museum café at 6:30 PM with Zadiel.
Participation is free of charge, without reservation. For this event, visitors are allowed to access the courtyard of the Palace of Parliament by car.
The Museum of the Municipality of Bucharest (Sutu Palace)
The Sutu Palace is one of the oldest aristocratic residences in Bucharest and one of the few buildings that have remained unchanged for over 150 years. It was built by Costache Suţu according to the plans of architects Conrad Schwenk and Johann Veit between 1833 and 1835.
The Museum of the Municipality of Bucharest has a collection of over 400,000 objects, whose diverse typology captures the profile of the settlement over the centuries, from prehistoric eras to the present, and attests to facts, events, and portraits of famous personalities from Bucharest.
Visiting hours: 10 AM-5:30 PM
Regardless of your choice, we hope you have a wonderful day visiting Bucharest’s museums for free!
