The historic wing of the National Technical Museum “Prof. Eng. Dimitrie Leonida” in Bucharest has reopened to the public, marking the completion of the first phase of a modernization project led by the Electrica Group in partnership with the Electrica Foundation. This initiative has made the space, inaccessible for over 40 years, explorable once again. Numerous exhibits are now enhanced with digital content, tailored to engage new generations.
Alexandru Chiriță, CEO of Electrica, said: “Professor Dimitrie Leonida dedicated his life to youth and education, and we have taken up the promise to carry his vision forward. The first step was creating a space where technology can be understood through exploration—by children, future engineers, and everyone who crosses its threshold. We want this museum to inspire new generations and enrich the journey of professionals shaping Romania’s energy sector, completing the circuit between history and the future.”
The exhibition route features eight museum sections across two floors, blending traditional displays with digital and educational elements. Visitors can explore exhibits using tablets and interactive tables, with content adapted for different age groups. The experience is enhanced by Dimitrie Leonida’s scholar’s office and a projection room.
On the ground floor, sections cover aviation, hydraulics, printing machines, and computing. The upper floor focuses on navigation, telecommunications, telephony, and lighting. Highlights include Romania’s first computers—”Cifa 102,” “Marica,” and “Dacic 1″—the Ciuperceni mill (1850), a Pelton turbine powered by a Ganz engine, the “GAUMONT PARIS” projection device brought by King Carol I for the theater and cinema hall at Peleș Castle, and a 17th-century wooden pirogue.
Marilena Nedelcu, President of the Electrica Foundation, added: “We started with a simple question: How can the same exhibit be understood by both a child and an adult? Our vision was to bring technical heritage to life through a captivating experience where technology lets exhibits ‘speak’ in the language of each visitor—from curious kids to aspiring young engineers. By fully translating all content into English, we give these Romanian treasures the international exposure they deserve.”
To make information accessible, content is designed for three age levels:
- Little Explorers (5-10 years): Discover tech secrets through games and kid-friendly explanations.
- Tech Savvy (10-15 years): Access digital experiments and intermediate technical details.
- Science Enthusiasts (over 15 years): Dive into in-depth historical data, complex diagrams, and expert specs.
New features include quizzes and interactive games that let visitors test their knowledge engagingly. They become protagonists, taking on roles like telegraph operators or inventors to grasp mechanisms that changed the world.
Advanced technology integration rounds out the modernization. The museum becomes Romania’s second building with AI-AE (Artificial Intelligence for Active Energy Management), a virtual energy manager powered by AI, developed by Electrica with Renergia and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca.
The platform analyzes real-time energy use, identifies patterns, and provides optimization recommendations, cutting consumption and carbon footprint. Initial implementations are at Electrica’s headquarters and the museum, advancing energy efficiency for Romanian buildings.
The National Technical Museum “Prof. Eng. Dimitrie Leonida” now repositions itself on Bucharest’s tourist and educational map, offering a modern space that sparks curiosity and inspires young generations.