The restored former Prefecture is a listed monument, and the Naive Art Gallery in the same complex, opened in 1971, was the first of its kind in Romania.
About the place
The Prefecture palace was built in 1898–1899 to plans by the architect Dimitrie Maimarolu, on the site of the former Buliga hermitage, and has housed the museum since 1970. From 2021 it was strengthened and restored with EU funds, and the hermitage ruins came to light during the works. The museum reopened on 3 February 2026 with temporary exhibitions on the ground floor; the permanent history, coin and natural-science exhibitions are still being refitted.
The same complex holds the National Gallery of Naive Art, with works by Romanian naive painters, the Planetarium, the Argeș Sports Exhibition, the 'Flori de mină' mineral exhibition and a lapidarium. The museum's 'Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna' Art Gallery is 350 m away at Bulevardul Republicii 33, in the former town hall of 1886; its ground floor has been open since February 2026.
Good to know
- The museum and galleries are open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays.
- The Planetarium can be visited only by appointment, on +40 723 344 586.
- The entrance to the Naive Art Gallery is on Bulevardul Eroilor, opposite the Casa Argeșeană restaurant.
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9–17 |
| Wednesday | 9–17 |
| Thursday | 9–17 |
| Friday | 9–17 |
| Saturday | 9–17 |
| Sunday | 9–17 |
Hours may change on public holidays. Check before you go.