National Art Museum

Bucharest

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Housed in the 19th-century Royal Palace, this massive, multipart museum – all signed in English – houses two permanent galleries: one for National Art and the other for European Masters. The national gallery is particularly strong on ancient and medieval art, while the European gallery includes some 12,000 pieces and is laid out by nationality.

The Royal Palace itself is a treat. Built from 1812 to 1815 by Prince Dinicu Golescu, the palace became the official royal residence in 1834 during the reign of Prince Alexandru Ghica (r 1834–42). The facade dates from the 1930s. See the website for occasional public tours of chambers of the building that are normally off limits to visitors.

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