10 unique museums and exhibitions in Hungary
The primary role of museums and exhibitions is to educate, engage and inspire people. They provide an excellent opportunity to gain new experiences and broaden our perspective.
Magyarországom has gathered ten unique and interesting Hungarian museums you should definitely visit.
1. City under the city in Eger
The history of this multi-storey underground exhibition is connected to the construction of the archbishop’s palace, which was built from rhyolite tuff. The cellar system under the city was excavated during the mining operations. The entrance to the cellar system is located on Eszterházy Square in front of the Basilica. The temperature in the cellar is always 12°C, so warm clothes and sweaters are recommended.
Visitors can take part in a guided 45-minute tour in the cellar system or explore the other parts of the underground world, such as the “time tunnel” or the knights’ hall. In 2007, the City under the city was voted as one of the 7 most impressive architectural monuments in Hungary.
2. Invisible Exhibition in Budapest
Have you ever wondered what life is like without vision? The Invisible Exhibition is a unique interactive journey to an invisible world, where we can only rely on our sense of touch, hearing and smell. Blind or partially sighted people lead the tours, which are available in English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Russian. The exhibition aims to give an insight into the world of blind people and show how they orientate and live their everyday lives.
The Invisible Exhibition takes place in special rooms and in the invisible section sighted people can try different tools used by blind people. Beside guided tour, visitors can choose between several additional programmes, such as the Invisible Indian dinner, Invisible Italian dinner, Invisible wine tasting or Invisible team-building. The exhibition first opened in 2007, and it has been one of Budapest’s most visited programmes. Online ticket reservations and purchases are not available until August 31st.
3. Pinball Gallery in Budapest
Europe’s most significant ongoing interactive pinball exhibition offers an insight into the history of pinball from the first machines from the 19th century to the latest pinball tables. The Pinball Gallery, located in Radnóti Miklós Street, opened in 2014 and it has 130 playable machines. The museum has not re-opened yet.
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4. Chocolate Museum in Budapest
Although the Chocolate Palace itself is not made of chocolate, it will not disappoint any sweet-toothed guest. The tours – available in English and Hungarian − offer visitors the opportunity to get a glimpse into the history of chocolate making through hundred-year-old chocolate maker tools, old movies and exciting presentations. Guests can also create their own chocolate, taste special teas and visit an authentic copy of the Stühmer chocolate shop.
Elemér Farkas founded the Chocolate Museum in 2008. The museum building in Bekercs Street was originally built as a mansion for the Count Wágner family. After World War II, it was used as a school, a police station and a cinema.
5. Zwack Museum in Budapest
Step into the world of the iconic, more than 230-hundred-year old Hungarian herbal liqueur and explore the mysteries of the Zwack family on a guided tour! Individual visitors can choose from two different tours: Standard or Premium tour. The Standard tour consists of a film screening, an old distillery and cellar tour, a museum tour with audio-guide and Unicum tasting. Due to the current health regulations, the Unicum House is closed until further notice.
6. Hospital in the Rock
The Hospital in the Rock Nuclear Bunker Museum was built in a natural cave system, and after the outbreak of World War II, most of the caves functioned as refuges. The hospital was developed on the basis of existing tunnels in the cave system; the caverns were transformed into wards and the passage-ways into corridors. The construction started in 1941, and it lasted for three years. Between 1958 and 1962, the Hospital in the Rock was converted into a nuclear bunker.
The original furniture and equipment evoke the atmosphere of the different periods, and visitors can discover the history of this unusual emergency hospital through guided tours. It is temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
7. House of Houdini in Budapest
Located at Dísz Square, this permanent exhibition is Europe’s largest Houdini exhibition. It commemorates one of the most celebrated escape artist of all time, the Hungarian-born Harry Houdini. The House of Houdini exhibits a collection of Harry Houdini’s original items, such as handcuffs, personal letters and some of the original props from the latest Houdini film. The museum serves as a meeting point for magicians and lovers of the art of illusions and magic.
8. Micro Wonder Museum in Szentendre
Are you interested in the world’s smallest handmade artworks? Then you should visit the Micro Wonder Museum that displays a grand collection of microscopic art.
9. Museum of Sweets and Selfies
Europe’s first selfie museum opened in Budapest in 2018. The founders argue that their “brave business […] has a single, but simple goal: to smuggle some sweets and cheerfulness into people’s everyday lives”. The museum was inspired by the American Museum of Ice Cream, an interactive ice cream and candy-themed exhibition. Visitors can take part in a 90-minute tour or spend some time in the installations in the free-to-visit adventure confectionery shop.
10. Cadillac Museum in Keszthely
This thematic collection presents Cadillac models from the first Cadillac automobiles to the last types of the 20th century. A small part of the exhibited cars is the property of the museum; other cars are from private collectors. The Cadillac Museum offers visitors a sophisticated visual and audio-visual experience. It is temporarily closed since 17 March.
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Source: magyarorszagom.hu