The National Museum of Union from Alba Iulia is the most important museum from Romania, both in terms of assets and scientific prestige.
The beginings of this institution are related to the "Company of history, archeology and natural sciences in Alba county", founded in 1887, which opened its first museum in the actual school building number 3 where there were sheltered more than 1.000 archaeological and numismatic pieces.
The collection has increased by the remarkable work of the first director, Adalbert Cserni, who until his death in 1916 conducted extensive archaeological research in various parts of the city, editing also the first 18 beams from the museum publication.
After the second world war, in the same time with the instauration of the comunist dictatorship, the leadership of the museum was taken by obscure figures who followed the antiintelectualist principles that remained in Romania one of the fundamental characteristics of cultural policy until 1989.
Year 1975 represents a new anniversary moment. Alba Iulia celebrates in that period 375 years since the first reunion made by Mihai Viteazu (Michael the Brave) and 2000 years of city's existence.
At that time was reorganised the complete exhibition of the museum in a continuous circuit that included the ground floor, first floor and second floor from the "Babilon" building, the institution returning at that point tot the name of the Union Museum.
