My travellers often ask me to recommend some great museums to visit during their stay in Budapest. I’ve put together a list of the museums that I like and that I think would be a great addition to your Budapest experience.

History lovers:

Hungarian National Museum – all about Hungarian history from the ancient times to nowadays. the most significant item on display is the coronation robe of the Hungarian kings from 1000. The interior of the museum is just magnificent.

Hospital in the Rock – a museum in the cave system of the Buda Castle District that served as an underground hospital during WW2. Amazing stories from the war and a very detailed presentation.

Budapest History Museum – dedicated to the history of the Buda Castle complex and Budapest. You can visit the old parts of the castle as well as the newly renovated royal halls.

Memento Park – although it’s located outside the city centre, it’s worth a visit. The cemetery of the old statues of the communist era puts on display Hungarian history in the second half of the 20th century.

Glass House – former Swiss consul Carl Lutz saved the life of thousands of Hungarian Jews during WW2. The museum is dedicated to his amazing work and to all people who found peace and safety in the Glass House of Budapest.

Art lovers

Fine Art Museum – hundreds of thousands of pieces from all the different periods of European fine arts. Plan to spend a couple of hours to see them all.

National Gallery – an amazing collection of Hungarian art form the Middle Ages to nowadays. The museum is located in the Royal Palace of Buda and offers magnificent views over the city.

Ludwig Museum – the contemporary art museum started from a private collection and is expanding dynamically year by year. You can admire art from the late sixties to present time.

Don’t forget that most of the Budapest museums are closed on Mondays, always check the opening hours before your visit! Feel free to get in touch with me for further details and more information.

 

The recently renovated Rumbach Street Synagogue is part of the synagogue triangle in the Jewish district of Budapest.

The building was designed by Austrian architect Otto Wagner and was built in the 1870’s. The Moorish Revival style of the synagogue is stunning, you can admire the combination of vivid colours (reds, blues, purples and golden), the craftsmanship and the richly ornate interior. The unique octagonal shape of the interior has eight sides, it was designed as an homage to the Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem.

The synagogue belonged to a smaller local community before WW2 but unfortunately lost its function after the war was over, most of the community was killed in the Holocaust. The building became neglected and after decades of decoy became renovated and reopened in 2021.