Top 10 unique museums in Budapest

Even on gloomy days, Budapest has countless program options. By walking the streets of the city, we can come across countless special exhibitions, which can provide a great experience for everyone. Budapest’s best museums await everyone with exciting installations, exhibitions presenting the history of Budapest or even interactive programs.

The world of museums has changed significantly over the past few years: we can come across more and more exhibitions that offer great program opportunities instead of works of art and paintings. The offer of Budapest’s museums covers a wide perspective, as we can also come across exhibitions that present old pinball machines or take us back several decades to the world of aviation.

From our article, you can discover the most interesting museums in Budapest, which you must visit!

House of Terror

The House of Terror Museum, as its name suggests, is a shocking exhibition located in the building of the former communist secret police on Andrássy avenue. The museum commemorates victims who were detained, interrogated, tortured or killed during the years of the communist regime, including those whose lives were ended in this building. Viewing the permanent exhibition presenting this phase of Hungarian history gives a closer look at the lives of those living under the occupation and oppression of the Soviet Union.

source: top7hungary

LAM – Light Art Museum

One of the largest light art museums in the world is located in the hall of the Hold street market, which offers a special experience to all visitors. Among the installations received instead in the museum are the works of many world-famous light artists, and in addition, modern works of art, as well as emblematic artefacts from the point of view of art history can also be admired.

source: XpatLoop

Aeropark

Those who have already been near the Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport, or who have arrived in Budapest by plane, must have seen the planes lined up next to the entrance road. The Aeropark Airplane Museum is located here, where you can see the planes of the former Hungarian airline MALÉV – both inside and out. With the help of airplanes, we can learn more about the history of the development of Hungarian aviation, and in addition, we can also choose from a number of experience programs for children, such as simulator games or airplane control. It is a perfect combination of museum, nostalgia and experience, and it is no coincidence that it is a popular family program in Budapest.

Source: Aeropark

Agricultural museum

The history of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum dates back to 1896: in this year, on the occasion of the thousand-year anniversary of the Hungarian conquest, the museum building was built – along with many other buildings in Budapest. The special feature of the museum is that the building has served the purpose of the museum since its construction. In the building, we can learn about the history and traditions of Hungarian agriculture through permanent exhibitions and temporary exhibitions. In addition to the museum, the building itself can boast of countless special features, as the building’s interior features Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles.

Source: Hungarian Agricultural Museum

Unicum House

Most Hungarians probably know Unicum as a herbal liqueur. The House of Zwack Unicum offers insight into the secrets of the more than 230-year-old liqueur specialty, where we can discover the history of the drink’s production. During the visit, we have the opportunity to examine old stills and a part of the cellar with oak barrels, where we can taste the special taste of Unicum directly from the barrels.

Source: Unicum Ház

Rock Hospital Atomic Bunker Museum

The Atomic Bunker Museum of the Sziklakórház, which is located under the Buda Castle, with an area of nearly 2,300 square meters, invites you on a historical journey. An emergency hospital used to operate on the territory of the multiple award-winning museum, but the place was also actively used during the Second World War and the 1956 revolution. Today, the facility functions as a museum, which also won the title of Hungary’s largest wax figure exhibition.

source: varosom.hu

Underground Railway Museum

The museum commemorates the first metro line of the European continent, which was built in the central part of Budapest. The main part of the exhibition is the restored vehicles, but maps, blueprints and photographs from the past are also on display. The museum is located on Deák Ferenc Square, and the entrance fee is the same as the price of a line ticket, i.e. currently HUF 350.

source: BKV

Museum of Ethnography

The Museum of Ethnography was relocated to the Városliget –  City Park –  area in 2022, the year of the institution’s 150th anniversary. The design of the museum’s new building is also special: its curved appearance and modern character harmonize beautifully with the decorative elements on the building. The roof terrace of the building can be visited free of charge, from where you can enjoy a beautiful view. In addition to Hungarian history, the museum also contains exhibitions from regions such as Madagascar, Japan or Turkey.

Source: ArchiGreen

Museum of Sweets and Selfies

A Canaan for selfie-takers: those who visit the Selfie Museum can have a real experience. Creativity knows no bounds in the area of the facility! With the help of the various installations, we can take unusual pictures of ourselves or our friends, which would hold their own on almost any social media platform! 

source: kulturaonline.hu

Cat Museum

The Cat Museum can be a real paradise for cat lovers: dozens of soft paws in rooms where only purrs can be heard. The permanent residents of the museum are eight cats, whom you can pet and play with during your visit. And in the spaces of the building, you can see cat paintings – some of them show the famous buildings/squares of Budapest in the background, but you can also see some that are cat versions of famous paintings. In the museum, you can also buy the most expensive coffee in the world, civet cat coffee.

Source: CatMuseumBudapest

Budapest’s special museums await us with a very diverse program of experiences, so everyone can find an interesting program for them. We hope that our article has piqued your interest, so you don’t have to worry about being left without a program even on gloomy days.