National Museum of Contemporary Art

In the back of the Palace of Parliament is the superb National Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened in 2004. A fully changing four-floor space, with double all-glass elevators built onto the outside of the building, it features eclectic European artists' installation and video art and is easily one of Eastern Europe's most provocative spaces. Past exhibits included collapsed walls lined with large claustrophobic images of Ceauşescu and the communist era. There's a top-floor open-air cafe.

The entry is from the southwestern side of the building - a 20-minute walk from the palace-tour entry! The best way to the palace is walking from Piaţa Unirii (and its metro station) along B-dul Unirii.