BBU Museums
What is the access procedure for large groups (25–30 people or more)?
For large groups, it is recommended to book your visit in advance, by phone or e-mail, at the museum you wish to visit.
Tickets can be purchased in cash from museum staff before entering the respective museum or online at BookTes.
Tickets can be purchased in cash from museum staff before entering the respective museum or online at BookTes.
Currently, it is not possible to pay for tickets by card at the museum entrance.
How can I initiate a cooperation (volunteering, internship, sponsorship, etc.) with one of the BBU Museums?
The BBU Museums promote cooperation agreements aimed at enhancing the cultural heritage and prestige of one of Romania’s most prestigious universities. For volunteering, internships, or other types of cooperation, please contact us by e-mail at patrimoniu@ubbcluj.ro. Please also consult the page https://patrimoniu.ubbcluj.ro/en/implica-te/
Alexandru Duma Museum
How long does a visit to the museum take?
The duration of a visit to the Alexandru Duma Museum depends on the selected activities: presentations for groups last around 20 minutes, Museum Quest takes 30–40 minutes, the VR movie is 8 minutes long, and viewing the materials on the interactive device can take from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the visitors’ interests. For those interested in experiencing the Critical Thinking Workshop, the visit typically lasts between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours.
Are there any hands-on activities available in the museum?
Yes, there are several activities where visitors can take an active role, such as Museum Quest, the VR movie, writing a postcard, and the interactive exploration of the digital collection, as well as selecting your favorite drawing.
University History Museum
In what languages can guided tours of the BBU History Museum be conducted?
The museum staff can provide guided tours in Romanian, English, and French upon request.
Is there parking for buses or small cars near the BBU History Museum?
The BBU History Museum is located in the central pedestrian area of Cluj. We recommend parking small cars either in Unirii Square or in the City Hall parking lot (entrance from Lucian Blaga Square); buses should be parked in the specially designated areas of the city.
Mineralogy Museum
Can I ask the museum staff to identify a stone?
The museum staff can identify a sample, whether it is a mineral, rock, or other type of sample. However, please note that this request may take some time to process (in some cases, information from specialists or laboratory investigations are required, as each sample must be analyzed individually and the results discussed with the applicant on a case-by-case basis).
Can mineral samples be purchased from the museum?
No, the Mineralogy Museum does not sell samples. The public can purchase samples at specialized mineral fairs organized in the area, which the museum announces on its social media pages if it is informed about them.
I think I have found a meteorite. Can the museum staff authenticate it?
If you believe you have found a meteorite, please contact us to have the sample examined. The first step is to visually confirm that it is a possible meteorite (either bring the sample to the museum or send us some clear photos of it). The sample can be analyzed with the owner’s consent. A piece of the supposed meteorite will then be taken for laboratory investigations that are necessary for official registration (the analysis and registration process are lengthy). The museum does not issue authenticity certificates.
Are guided tours available during museum visits?
Yes, with prior booking and for groups of at least six people, we offer specialized guided tours (at no extra charge). If you are not part of a group but have questions about a specific exhibit, please contact the museum staff.
Paleontology and Stratigraphy Museum
How was the Paleontology Museum’s fossil collection acquired?
The fossils in the museum’s collections are primarily materials collected and studied by the teaching staff of the Department of Geology as part of their research projects. In addition, the museum’s collections have been enriched year after year with fossils collected during student fieldwork, as well as material from students’ graduation projects. Fossil collections from abroad have been purchased or obtained through exchanges that specialists and teaching staff intermediated.
Are the fossils on display real?
Most of the fossils on display are real. The museum’s collections include some casts made from original pieces, which are indicated on the respective labels.
What are the oldest fossils in the museum?
The museum’s oldest fossils date back to the Paleozoic era (540–250 million years ago), for example, the collection of marine invertebrates (tetracorals, trilobites, graptolites, placoderm fish) and the collection of fossil plants from the Carboniferous period (354 million years ago).
What are the most valuable fossils in the museum?
The collection of dwarf dinosaurs from Hațeg wins hands down the title of most valuable collection, both from a scientific perspective and in terms of visitor interest. Also useful from a scientific point of view is the Type Collection, as it includes species of animals and plants that were first discovered and described. These species are called “holotypes”, which is the same as “prototypes” in technical terms.
The Museum of the Holocaust in Northern Transylvania
What kinds of materials do the Holocaust Museum’s collections include?
The Holocaust Museum offers visitors written documents (documents issued by authorities, newspaper articles, letters, postcards, books, photographs), religious objects, and media documents (video and audio testimonies of Holocaust survivors).
Does the museum offer parking?
The nearest public transportation stops are located in Mihai Viteazu Square and are connected to all major areas of the city, including the airport and the metropolitan area.
Does the museum offer parking?
The Holocaust Museum does not have a parking lot, but there are two paid parking lots nearby: Mihai Viteazu Square Parking Lot and Leu Parking Lot.
David Prodan Memorial Museum
Are guided tours available during visits to the David Prodan Memorial Museum?
The David Prodan Memorial Museum offers guided tours at no extra charge to all visitors, regardless of number.
In how many languages are guided tours available at the David Prodan Memorial Museum?
At the David Prodan Memorial Museum, guided tours are available in Romanian, English, and French. We recommend that you notify the museum in advance of your request by sending an e-mail to the museum’s address.
Is there parking for buses and small cars near the David Prodan Memorial Museum?
The David Prodan Memorial Museum does not have reserved parking spots. We recommend using public transportation. The closest stops to our museum are Piața Gării and Horea Street (Strada Horea).
Zoological Museum
Who collected all the animals in the Zoological Museum’s collections?
Some of the Zoological Museum’s collections were created by specialists, former professors of the Faculty of Biology, who donated these collections to the museum. The museum also houses collections donated by various private collectors.
What are the oldest exhibits in the Zoological Museum?
The oldest exhibit is the skeleton of a cave bear, an extinct species that lived 10,000 years ago.
The oldest collections date back to the mid-19th century. The oology collection (egg collection) includes items collected between 1831 and 1850. The Zoological Museum houses the oldest butterfly collection (the Josef Franzenau butterfly collection) as well as the oldest collection of grasshoppers, locusts, and spiders in Romania, collected by Ottó Herman. Many specimens in the ornithological collection also come from the same scientist. The ornithological collection comprises skins, bones, and eggs collected in the Cluj area.
How were the animals on display preserved?
The animals on display have been processed in various ways. Some are preserved by desiccation (drying the entire body, as in the case of insects, or preserving the shell, as in the case of snails, shells, etc.), while others are kept in containers with ethanol or formalin (for example, fish and amphibians). Birds and mammals are preserved through a process called naturalization or taxidermy. As for the animals in jars, some specimens are preserved in ethanol, while others are preserved in formalin. Both substances ensure the long-term preservation of the samples. It should be noted, however, that formalin damages DNA, so those samples can no longer be used for genetic studies.
Vivarium
Can visitors interact with the animals in the Vivarium collection?
The Vivarium encourages such experiences and, therefore, organizes numerous special events dedicated to human-animal interaction.
Are visits on a first-come, first-served basis, or is prior booking required?
No prior booking is required as long as you observe the opening hours posted on the website. The last admission is 20 minutes before closing time.