Hungarian National Museum Archives

Robert Capa exhibition at the National Museum

Posted on August 26, 2013December 6, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Autumn is almost here and Budapest will welcome visitors with great programs and exhibitions. If you want some culture, you definitely should visit the Hungarian National Museum, where you can see the famous photographer, Robert Capa’s exhibition between 18 September 2013 and 12 January 2014.

Friedmann Endre was born in 1913 in Budapest. He started to pay attention for photography in early 30s as a hobby, but he realized that it could be great livelihood. Before the Second World War he studied journalism in Berlin, but he had to leave the city because of his Jewish origin. After that he moved back to Budapest for a while, but because of the harder and harder anti-Semitism he immigrated to Paris. His life was hard in the French capital too, so he decided to devote his life to photography, he changed his name to Robert Capa after his nickname, “Shark” (Shark in Hungarian is Cápa). The new name brought referrals to him and shortly he became Capa, the famous documentary and war correspondent. The Hungarian photographer travelled around five war places with his machine: the Spanish civil war, the Chinese inquisition of Japan, the Second World War’s European places, the first Arab-Israel conflict and Indochina. He died on the last place, when he stepped on a grenade during work.

The National Museum would like to show Capa’s all habits, passions and life style between 18 September 2013 and 12 January 2014.

Robert Capa exhibition

September 18th – January 12th
Hungarian National Museum

Ancient burial masks at the National Museum

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Have you ever thought about that what do you want to do in 2013 summer? Unfortunately at lots of places the weather is not suitable to beach, so we recommend you the beautiful and special cities’ discover firstly.

There are so many interesting attractions in a foreign country’s capital or other cities, but when the temperature reaches the 30 or more degrees, people would like to spend their free time at the beach or in a spa, but not in a museum. But here comes the time, and the capital of Hungary, Budapest knows it!

In the center city, exactly at the Hungarian National Museum at the Múzeum Boulevard there are lots of incredibly interesting exhibition in this year. One of them is the best temporary exhibition, the Ancient burial masks exhibition, which is available between 22 June and 13 September 2013. At the exhibition visitors could know more about the conquistador Hungarians’ funerary customs. It is known, that the Hungarians lubricated the dead people faces’ with a special material, what harden during the years and became a mask. Unfortunately, today there are only ten masks, and those, who visit the National Museum for this fantastic exhibition, could see photos about these.

Spend some lovely day in the capital of Hungary, Budapest and meet with the Hungarians’ habits and culture! Have a great time!

Ancient burial masks
Hungarian National Museum
June 22th – September 13th

The History of Hungary in the New Age

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Budapest Guide

The history of Hungary contains lots of excitements from the starts until the Regime. For the visitors, they could be a tourist, or somebody who moved out, but born in Hungary, or somebody who has Hungarian family but born in foreign lands, it is always an exciting program to know more about this little country’s history.

In Budapest, at one of the most beautiful and most famous museums, the National Museum, there are great permanent exhibitions which show the Hungarian history to the visitors in an interesting way. From the ninth room to the twentieth room in the museum, people can see fantastic relics, treasures and other interesting things to know more about the Hungarian history from the Rakoczi-revolution’s age until the Regime in 1990. The history class in school maybe wasn’t interesting to everyone, but it is sure, at an exciting exhibition studying is easy and unobserved, because it is not just dates, places or names, but interesting things which make learning funny.

It could be a great weekend program also to a foreigner and a local resident too, to visit the National Museum, which is in a beautiful place in Budapest. This institute located in a wonderful place in the downtown, in the Museum Garden, so after the exhibition you can walk around the park, have a lovely picnic, or just sit on the museum’s stairs and enjoy the afternoon sunshine.

The History of Hungary in the New Age
Permanent exhibition
Hungarian National museum

Hungary from prehistory to AD 804

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Budapest Guide

We especially recommend the exhibition, which shows the history of Hungary between the Prehistory and the Conquest for those, who are really like history. This permanent exhibition gives a detailed description of the Hungarian history in the Paleolithic, the Neolithic, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman age, moreover it gives more knowledge about the life, habits and history of the Avars, the Huns and the Germans.

The exhibition which is in from the first to the eights room of the museum, people could see interesting archeological objects. For example an instrument from the Paleolithic, whose voice can be heard. If you are really interested in archeological objects, or the history of Hungary, or you just like to visit museums, this is your place in the National Museum.

Just imagine, you and your family, your friends or your partner spend a few lovely days in Budapest, visit the most famous attractions, like Statue of Liberty, Citadel, Chain Bridge or Parliament, and after that you visit one of the most famous museums in Budapest, where you can see interesting things. Moreover, the museum located in a lovely place, in the Museum Garden, so after or before the exhibition you have the choice to walk around the park and have a picnic, or just sit on the stairs in front of the museum and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. Have a great time!

Hungary from prehistory to AD 804
Hungarian National Museum
Permanent exhibition

More about the history of Hungary and Budapest museums

History of Hungary from the statehood to the Middle Ages

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Certainly you are interested in this small, but very strong and beautiful country’s history. Well, Hungary’s history contains lot of turns, vicissitudes, fights and happiness, and because of that we are sure, everybody finds an interesting program visit to National Museum in the capital of Hungary, Budapest.

The history of Hungary includes the seven leaders, the Conquest, Prince Arpad and King Steven. The National Museum’s amazing exhibitions shows the whole history of this country from the Arpad-age to nowadays to visitors. From the first to the eighth room of the museum visitors can see the starts, relics of kings from the Arpad-age, treasures of Anjou royals and expensive clothes from Turkish occupation, but moreover there are several tools, clothes, visitors can read more about history and legends, and of course there are several rarities too from different ages.

Let’s know more about the history of Hungary in one of the most beautiful museums of the capital. Imagine that after the wonderful exhibition, you walk around the Museum Garden, drink a coffee with a delicious cake in the Museum Café and go inside a lovely old book store, where you can find interesting books in foreign languages too. You have all the chance for it, if you visit National Museum while you are in Budapest.

Do not miss to know more about the exciting history of Hungary with plenty of adventures! It would be a fantastic program to small and big too! Have a great time!

History of Hungary from the statehood in the Middle Ages
Permanent exhibition
Hungarian National museum

Roman lapidary – Hungarian National Museum

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Budapest Guide

When somebody wants to spend some days in Hungary, usually the firs destination is the capital, the wonderful Budapest. There are lauds of museums, galleries and other interesting attractions here. It is a must see program visit to the Buda Castle, the Parliament, the Heroes Square and some museums, like the Hungarian National Museum.

The National Museum is always waiting for the visitors with interesting exhibitions. Those, who visit here, could learn a lot about the Hungarian history, because there are several permanent exhibitions which show the whole story of this country from the prehistory Hungary trough the Conquest until the Regime with lots of interesting relics, treasures and other wonderful things.

One worldwide famous exhibition in the National Museum is the Lapidarium or Roman Lapidary. The exhibition shows the most typical stone monuments, for example urn keeper stoneware, tombstones, sarcophaguses, little, church shaped tomb’s (aediculas) elements, votive altars offered to gods and epigraphs which tell constructions. Because there are just few useful relics from the age of the Roman Empire, historians could know more about this era, when Hungary was a part of the Roman Empire and it called Pannonia, after these stone monuments.

If you are interested in the history, do not miss the National Museum’s amazing exhibition of the Roman relics while you are in Budapest, because it would be an unforgettable experience! Have a great time!

Lapidarium – Roman lapidary
Permanent exhibition
Hungarian National Museum

Coronation Mantle – Exhibition in the National Museum

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Budapest Guide

Those who travel to Hungary, could have amazing experience in the whole year. The required programs are to see the Parliament, the Buda Castle, the River Danube with all of the bridges, especially the most famous, the Chain Bridge and naturally any of the museums, particularly the National Museum.

There are several amazing exhibition in the Hungarian National Museum, which show the whole Hungarian History from the Prehistory, trough the Conquest, until the end of the regime in 1990. There is a very special historical relic here, the Coronation mantle, which was the property of the first king of the Hungarians, Saint Steve I. The beautifully designed robe was presented by Saint Steve I.’s wife, who was the first queen of Hungarians, Queen Giselle to the St. Mary’s Church in Székesfehérvár in 1031. The robe was made from a bell shaped, closed vestment, and it represents Jesus Christ, King Steve, Queen Giselle and Prince Imre in beautiful way. It is a beautiful and very old treasure, what is the pride of the Hungarian nation, so when somebody visit to this small but very nice country and especially to the capital, Budapest, it worth to go to the National Museum and see the Coronation robe.

The National Museum located in a very beautiful place, in the Museum Garden, so it gives a great opportunity to those, who want to eat their lunch under the sky before or after the exhibition. Have fun!

Coronation Mantle

Hungarian National Museum
Permanent exhibition

What museums are open in Budapest during Christmas?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Budapest Guide

I am going to Budapest from December 22nd – December 28th. I wonder what museums can be visited during this period?

We do not have a full list of museums open in this period, but here you can find some general information which will hopefully help you. What we can tell is this general information:

General museum information
Most museums are open on December 22nd and 23rd.
Most museums are closed on December 24th and 25th.
Most museums reopen on December 26th, though some with only temporary exhibitions available.

Some museums who follow this pattern:
Museum of Fine Arts
Hungarian National Museum
National Gallery

Just for your information:
Most museums are closed on December 31st, but most of them are open on January 1st again.

The Worlds of Széchenyi: National Museum

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Budapest Guide

Are you interested in a man who was loved by the most beautiful women of the century, who was not a scholar yet he founded an academy, who wrote the greatest Hungarian bestseller even though Hungarian wasn’t his native language, whose castle boasted the first English toilet in the Carpathian Basin, who established the new Hungarian capital by building Chain Bridge and who, despite being ill, fought successfully for the freedom of his oppressed nation? If so, come and see The Worlds of Széchenyi exhibition at the Hungarian National Museum.

The Worlds of Széchenyi
Hungarian National Museum
October 8, 2010 – March 6, 2011

Budapest Museums

Relief exhibition – Red Sludge Catastrophe 2010: National Museum

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Budapest Guide

On 4 October 2010, at 12.25 p. m., the northwestern corner of the dam of waste reservoir no. 10. collapsed at the Ajka Alumina Plant of the MAL Hungarian Aluminium Company, and the spill of toxic red sludge of about 600,000-700,000 cubic metres flooded the lower parts of nearby Kolontár, Devecser and Somlóvásárhely.

Pictures and videos from the disaster spread around the world within hours, and most people have heard of it, at least those watching news and reading newspapers.

Now visitors to the Hungarian National Museum can get more insight into the disaster by visiting the exhibition “Relief exhibition – Red Sludge Catastrophe 2010“. Here you can see photos, videos, childrens’s drawings of the catastrophe, and protective clothing and accessories of the volunteers. The entrance fee is 500 Ft, which goes directly to helping the victims in Devecser.

Relief exhibition – Red Sludge Catastrophe 2010
Hungarian National Museum
November 10 – December 12

Budapest museums