The building that houses the museum was built by the Sabetay family, one of the richest and most famous families in the area, in the 1890s by a team of Italian architects constructors. The refinement and sumptuousness of the interiors are the attributes that give it the feel of a palace. The Venice crystal in the glass partitions and mirrors give it additional wealth.
After 1971, the building was posessed by the Romanian Comunist Party, set up as a residence for the Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu family and from 1990 it went to the Ministery of Culture patrimony.
The art museum stands out through the refinement and sumptuousness of the interiors, the Baroque stucco decorums and dados sculpted in oak wood with golden borders, completed by wall paintings, mirror and strained-glass window mosaics. The Venice crystal in the glass partitions and mirrors and the columns with composite capitels. Baroque chandeliers or the 1900 art, executed in golden bronze and Venice crystal. Baroque furniture, in the Louie the 15th and 16th styles and Italian terracotta fireplaces. And strained glass skylights on the first floor.
Among the famous 19th famous authors whose works are housed here are Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Sava Hentia, Misu Popp and works of some 20th century painters like Luchian, Petrascu, Pallady, Tonitza, Dimitrescu, Sirato, Stoenescu, Iser, Ressu.
Here is also where we find almost a hundred works signed by the painter Ghiata, as well as some feminine exhibits of art like Rodica Maniu, Micahela Eleuteriade, Lucia Dem. Balacescu, Magdalena Radulescu, Margareta Sterian.
The sculptures in marble, stone, wood and bronze are signed Medrea, Baraschi, Irimescu, Jalea, Borgo Prund, Dorio Lazar, Lucaci.
The icons and religious decorative art, the brancovan art, tapistries and modern and contemporary decorative art complete the museum collections.
In the Baroque palace, as it is known, there are periodical exhibits with the treasure artists’ works and of contemporary painters and also cultural manifestations where 50000 people attend annually.
