Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum
Bucharest, Romania
Visit this museum to see impressive engineering accomplishments from the past, presented in an unintentionally futuristic stle.
Established in 1909, the Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum was initially designed to feature innovative advancements in different fields of applied sciences. However, over a century, technology has evolved rapidly. The museum now serves as an exhibit of science history, showcasing the cutting-edge technology of the first half of the 20th century.
Dimitrie Leonida, a Romanian engineer, established the first electrical and mechanical engineering school in 1908 with the assistance of the school’s staff and faculty. The following year, they opened the Technical Museum, showcasing various topics, including nuclear power plant technology from the 1960s, gamma spectrometers, horse-powered oil extraction techniques, magnetic and electrical fields, chemistry, mining, telecommunications, and telecommunications hydraulics.
The museum showcases various motorized vehicles from the 20th century, including antique German race cars, Eastern Bloc vehicles, concept cars, motorbikes, and other unique cars that were not mass-produced. These vehicles represent significant engineering achievements of that time.
The Technical Museum was built in the last pavilion of the 1906 Great Romanian Exhibition to showcase Romania’s achievements to the world. Nowadays, the museum carries on this mission by exhibiting the outstanding engineering accomplishments of Romanian experts.
Explore an impressive collection of flying vehicle models at the museum, including designs by Traian Vuia and Henri Coandă, who developed one of the earliest jet aeroplanes in 1910. Experience the future with a jetpack created by Justin Capra and Ion Munteanu in 1958. Don’t miss the unique 1922 car built by Aurel Persu, which emulates the aerodynamic efficiency of a falling raindrop and boasts a drag coefficient that exceeds that of most modern vehicles.
The Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum has over 5000 exhibits, including interactive displays showcasing the institution’s original educational vision and its founder’s ideas.
