Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History: a fascinating journey through biodiversity and paleontology

By Bucharest Team
- Articles
If you visit Bucharest, you must not miss the famous Antipa Museum. In fact, if you ask any Bucharest resident to list a few museums in the capital, the Antipa Museum will surely be on everyone's name. And not for nothing! Officially called the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History, it is one of the most prestigious museums in Romania and Eastern Europe, currently housing over 2 million exhibits.
Founded 2 centuries ago in 1834, the museum is famous for its extensive collections exploring biodiversity, geology and paleontology.
Grigore Antipa Museum - History
The Grigore Antipa Museum was founded by Mihalache Ghica, the brother of the ruler Alexandru Ghica, under the name of "Museum of Natural History and Antiquities". Although it was originally considered a natural history cabinet, the brother of Prince Alexandru Ghica donated important collections, including Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins, as well as collections of minerals, fossils, mollusks, fish, birds and mammals and even works of art.
As the exhibits became more varied, the status of the natural history cabinet faded. Over time the museum became a mixed institution housing antiquities, old paintings and natural curiosities.
In 1864, under the direction of Professor Grigore Cobălcescu, the museum focused its attention on the natural history collections. A major change took place in 1893 with the appointment of Grigore Antipa as director.
Antipa took over when the museum was in an advanced state of disrepair, caused by a violent fire in 1884, in which almost all the exhibits housed here were lost. Some 2,030 zoological exhibits survived, however, and were eventually moved to a rented building on rue Polonă.
Grigore Antipa sent a request to Prime Minister Dimitrie Sturdza in 1903, emphasizing the need for a building to house the National Museum of Natural History. The main reason for this was lack of space, which had led to some of the collections being moved to different locations or stored in boxes.
On that occasion, Grigore Antipa introduced a world first: the museum's dioramas - three-dimensional showcases in which species were presented by habitat categories, in natural poses and projected onto a painted background. They were a huge success, and the dioramas were subsequently introduced into several museums of their kind in Europe and overseas.
The current premises were built between 1904-1906, the museum was organized on 24 May 1908, only after all the collections and exhibits were safely brought here. The inauguration ceremony was attended by King Carol I and most of the royal family, as well as the mayor of the capital Vintilă Brătianu, Ion Kalinderu (administrator of the Crown Domain), the president of the Romanian Academy, Anghel Saligny, the Prime Minister Dimitrie Sturdza, the president of the Council of Ministers I.C Brătianu and the ministers Spiru Haret and Anton Carp.
In 1933, King Carol II decided that the museum should bear the name of its organizer, Grigore Antipa, to honour the work and life of the man for whom the museum was a home, a place of study and rest, as well as a professional arena.
An important step in the museum's evolution was in 2009-2011, when the museum underwent a major renovation, which included the modernization of the exhibitions and the introduction of interactive technologies. New facilities and updated dioramas were designed to enhance the visitor experience and attract new generations of nature lovers.
Grigore Antipa Museum - Collections and exhibitions
The museum houses over two million specimens of plants, animals, fossils and minerals, organized in various temporary and permanent exhibitions on three levels: the basement - Romania's biodiversity, with the five bioregions (Alpine, Continental, Pannonian, Pannonian, Steppic and Pontic), the ground floor - the world fauna organized biogeographically, and upstairs a collection of rocks and minerals, an insect room and a room for the skeletons of walrus, seal, narwhal and humpback whale. Also upstairs is the impressive astronomy area, an area reproducing an archaeological site or the office where Grigore Antipa worked.
- Romania's Biodiversity: This section illustrates Romania's fauna and flora, presenting habitats ranging from the Danube Delta to the Carpathian Mountains. Dioramas recreating natural ecosystems and emblematic species such as the brown bear, wolf and lynx are particularly impressive.
- The Comparative Anatomy Collection - The Comparative Anatomy Collection includes 1724 pieces representing skeletons, wet preparations - organs and systems, embryos, the development of various vertebrate and invertebrate species preserved in formalin or alcohol, as well as various casts.
- Collection of mineralogy and geology: Comprising a wide variety of minerals and rocks, this collection provides an insight into the geological diversity of Romania and other regions of the world.
- Paleontology collection: The paleontology exhibition features fossils from different geological periods, including dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals. A notable exhibit is the complete skeleton of a Deinotherium gigantissimum, a prehistoric mammal that lived about 10 million years ago.
- The Antomology Collection: A diverse range of insects from around the world is on display here, giving a detailed insight into this varied group of organisms.
- Anthropology Section: This part of the museum explores human evolution, featuring human fossils, artifacts and reconstructions of prehistoric hominids.
- The vertebrate collection - Vertebrates - fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals - numbers 46,500 specimens, preserved in a variety of forms: from naturalized to baldrichs, skins, pelts, wet preparations, eggs, nests.
Educational and research activities
The Grigore Antipa Museum is also an active research and education center. It offers numerous educational programs for children and adults, including workshops, conferences and guided tours. It also collaborates with various academic and research institutions to promote the study and conservation of biodiversity.
Grigore Antipa Museum - Tourist Info
The museum is located in the center-north area of Bucharest, on Sos. Kiseleff no. 1 and can be reached in several ways: either on foot, if you are out for a walk in the center of Bucharest, or by metro, getting off at the Piata Victoriei station on the M2 and M3 lines, by bus 182, 300, 783 or 784, or by tram lines 20, 24, 34 or 46.
It can currently be visited without appointment, except for groups, which must give a few days' notice.
The Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History is a cultural and scientific institution of reference in Romania. With a rich history and impressive collections, the museum continues to be an essential place for education and research in the field of natural history. Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the wonders of nature and learn about the fascinating biodiversity of our planet.
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