The National Art Museum of Romania is the most important art museum in the country, having been established in 1950 in the former Royal Palace in the Capital. The European Art Gallery of the museum reopened in 2000 in the southern part of the building. The painting collection was built on the basis of the 214 works of art of King Charles I to which were added paintings belonging to other members of the royal family. The Royal Palace is located in the center of Bucharest, in the middle of other historical buildings such as the Kretzulescu Church, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Central University Library and the Athenée Palace-Hilton Hotel. The building was built between 1927 and 1937 according to the plans of the Romanian architect D. Niculescu. In 1948, after the abusive abolition of the monarchy, the Royal Palace became the seat of the National Art Museum.

Inaugurated in 1950, the National Gallery houses the works of famous painters such as Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonitza, Theodor Pallady and sculptors such as Dimitrie Paciurea, Constantin Medrea, Ion Jalea and the famous Constantin Brâncuși. The most spectacular is the European Gallery, inaugurated in 1951 and composed of 15 halls. Paintings and sculptures signed by Rembrandt, Veneziano, Titian, Tintoretto, Zurbaran, El Greco, Renoir, Monet, Pissaro, Breughel Delacroix, Sisley and Rubens are exhibited here. The museum's heritage also includes 4000 engravings and drawings by famous Romanian and foreign artists.