Hungarian National Museum

The Hungarian National Museum is the country's main museum of history and archaeology. It grew out of the collection that Count Ferenc Széchényi gave to the nation in 1802, and since 1847 it has occupied a purpose-built neoclassical building by Mihály Pollack on the Small Boulevard in District VIII. With its columned portico and broad steps, set back in its own garden, it is one of the finest examples of the style in Budapest.

The building has a central place in national memory. On 15 March 1848 the poet Sándor Petőfi's National Song and the revolutionaries' twelve demands were read out on the museum steps, and the revolution that followed is still commemorated here every year on 15 March, a national holiday. A statue of the poet János Arany stands in the garden.

Inside, the permanent exhibitions trace the history of the land and its peoples from prehistory to the late 20th century. Highlights include Scythian gold, finds from the Roman province of Pannonia and the migration period, medieval treasures and objects linked to Hungary's rulers, and the second part of the history exhibition, which runs from 1703 to 1990. The basement Lapidarium displays Roman stone carvings and inscriptions. The museum's most famous single object, the medieval coronation mantle, is currently not on view, and some halls have been closed for renovation since December 2025, so check the official website for what is open.

Temporary exhibitions run through the year; an exhibition on the treasures of King Louis the Great runs until 31 December 2026. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, and closed on Mondays; the ticket office closes at 17:00. Allow two hours for a good overview. The exhibitions suit history lovers and school-age children, and the museum garden, with its lawns and statues, is a pleasant place to sit and rest afterwards before continuing into the city.

Kálvin tér station, on metro lines M3 and M4, is a few minutes' walk south, and Astoria on M2 is a short walk north. The Dohány Street Synagogue, the Jewish Quarter and the Great Market Hall are all within about fifteen minutes on foot.