Applied arts and fashion exhibitions

Budapest’s and Hungary’s number one art museum is the Museum of Fine Arts on Heroes’ Square. 

 

Works by almost every big name, such as Caravaggio, El Greco, Van Dyck and Titian, can be found here. The French Impressionist collection is particularly rich, as is the antique section, especially the Ancient Egyptian collection. For those who are curious about what the historical Hungarian aristocracy wore, we recommend the Hungarian portrait collection on the museum’s top floor.

For local paintings and sculptures, visit the Hungarian National Gallery in the Castle District, the country’s number two art museum. If you are staying in the Városliget (City Park) area, we recommend visiting the recently opened Museum of Ethnography. However, since unpacking and cataloguing of the vast, relocated collection is still ongoing, only a selection can be viewed here for the time being. On the nearby Andrássy Avenue, a branch of the Museum of Fine Arts, the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asian Art, can also be an interesting stop. At the time of writing, however, they do not have a temporary exhibition.

There are two interesting applied art collections in the area, as well as two special fashion exhibitions. The Városligeti Alley is worth visiting for its own sake. This avenue, lined with trees, is flanked by beautiful turn-of-the-century villas, several of which currently function as embassies here in the Diplomatic Quarter. However, two villas await visitors as museums. One of these is a state institution. The Ráth György Villa is a branch of the Museum of Applied Arts, which has been under renovation for many years and thus remains closed. Notably, György Ráth was the first general director of the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest, and his private art collection was one of the most significant at the turn of the century. Based on his will, his widow donated the property and the collection to the Museum of Applied Arts. Since its re-opening in 2018, the exhibition entitled ‘Our Art Nouveau’ can be viewed here. 
 

At the other end of the street, the ResoArt museum opened last autumn in one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau villas, presenting the works of Zsolnay, one of Hungary's most famous porcelain and building ceramic factories. Among the items in the 1,000-piece collection, the so-called eosin-glazed pieces are particularly interesting to foreign eyes.
 

While the above exhibitions can be visited throughout the year, the following are only open periodically. The Fashion & City exhibition can be viewed at the Kiscelli Museum until 14 April 2024. Although the former monastery building is not in the city centre, it is worth taking the tram to get there. Located 15 minutes from Margaret Bridge, a spectacular installation awaits those interested in fashion in the ruined but still imposing church square. Through 250 items (120 complete outfits), you can learn what Budapest fashion was like from 1873 to the present day. The exhibition is related to last year’s jubilee year since Budapest was established 150 years ago through the unification of three cities: Pest, Buda and Óbuda. 
 

The other major fashion exhibition is organised by the country’s most important historical museum, the Hungarian National Museum, in the city centre, a quarter of an hour’s walk from Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest. The Magyar Menyasszony (Hungarian Bride) will direct attention to the role and social status of Hungarian women going back 500 years until 25 August 2024 through the presentation of their marriages and wedding dresses. At this unique exhibition, you can see specialities, such as the second oldest wedding dress in Europe, which was worn by Queen Maria von Habsburg at the beginning of the 16th century.
 

 

Magyar Menyasszony - Photo credit: Hungarian National Museum, Wanda Martin

Our guest writer, the Budapest Curator by Kempinski Corvinus: Balázs Pécsi, publisher of The Gentleman's Review luxury & society magazine.