The Museum of Natural History

Since 1834, the former house of the courtier Costachi Sturdza has hosted the first museum of natural history of Romanian Principalities as well as unique collections within the Romanian scientific realm. Today they include 300.000 specimens of animals, plants and minerals. The building remained in the national memory through a decisive event in the birth of modern Romania. In a hall called “The Elephant’s Cabinet”, on the night of 3rd of January 1859, the deputies on the National Party decided, after stormy debates, the candidacy of the unionist Alexandru Ioan Cuza to reign over Moldavia. Apparently the discussion was so intense that Lascăr Rosetti, further minister of Cuza, had to lock the door in order to force the members to make a final decision. Today, the museum hosts a hall dedicated to this great historic event. (PHOTO : Mihai BULAI)