THE ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Zoological Musem is integrated in the Faculty of Biology and Geology of the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca.

This institution has gradually enriched its collection of displays, and currently contains over 300,000 items. The building housing the Zoological Museum was built around 1912, sharing an identical design with that of the Zoological Institute in Napoli. Prestigious figures brought their contribution to enhancing the fame of this museum, such as the biologist professors Alexandru Borza and Emil Racoviţă, the latter being the first position holder in the Romanian General Biology Department, inaugurated in 1920.

The Zoological Museum comprises several scientific animal collections (the Biltz Malacologic Collection, the Franzenau Lepidopterologic Collection, the Radu Isopodes Collection, etc). In terms of its scientific value and number of preserved items the Zoological Museum occupies the second place in this country, after the famous Gr. Antipa Museum in Bucharest.

The Museum is divided in three sections:

• the actual exhibition, which comprises a large number of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, displayed separately or in dioramas and micro-dioramas which imitate the natural habitat;
• the scientific collections, which comprise over 300,000 animal displays (out of which the majority is represented by insects) are accessible only to specialists;
• the museum reserve, whose biological content is put on display only temporarily or completes the exhibition.

Contact persons:

         Delia Ceuca – curator I.
         Dr.Daniela Mureşan – curator I.
        
   Telephone : 0264-595 739,   interior 121
   E-mail: dceuca@hasdeu.ubbcluj.ro