Designed by the architects Gh Simotta and Nicolae Lupu in 1940, the SIMIAN MANSION house today the Fine Arts Collection of the Valcea County museum.

The eclectic but harmonious style of the mansion highly impresses the visitor by its spatial distribution with elegant, vaulted rooms, by its rich decorating elements, by its inner patio with porch and beautiful terraced garden.

In its unique atmosphere the permanent arts exhibition aims to both the instruction and the enjoyment of the visiting public. The works of arts are exhibited at a random chronology in order to avoid monotony.

The medieval arts collection included icons and objects of religious cult belonging to the XVI – XIX centuries, collected exclusively from Valcea County . Some of the exhibits are unique; such are the “empire doors” made at the end of the XVI century for the Govora Monastery.

The fine arts collection gathers together works of artists belonging to the period of national revival in the XIX century and valuable paintings of such Romanian artists as N. Grigorescu, Gh Petrascu, N. Tonitza, The. Pallady, Ion Theodorescu Sion, Corneliu Michailescu, Camil Ressu.

The art of second half of the XX century is represented by Ion Tuculescu ‘ s paintings characterized by chromatic force and lucid tension. Alongside are the works of painters who have survived the changes of 1944 by preserving their artistic personality and professional probity: Margareta Sterian, Micaela Eleutheriade, Henri Catargi, Corneliu Baba.

The works of art of an indisputable plastic value made in the 7-the and 8-the decades of the XX century exemplify a special bond between the artists and nature. Such paintings belong to Horia Bernea, Stefan Coltea, Sorin Ilfoveanu, Gh. Anghel, Ion Salisteanu, Florin Niculiu.

The same period is represented by paintings belonging to artists such as Marin Gherasim, Paul Gherasim, Ion Grigorescu, Georgeta Naparus, Sabin Balasa, Viorel Marginean.

After 1990 the collection of the museum has been mainly enriched by donations from contemporary artists, thus enabling a definition of the present, postmodern Romanian painting.