Műcsarnok 130 – The Home of Hungarian Fine Arts Since 1896 / Panel Exhibition

A panel exhibition commemorating the 130th anniversary of the Műcsarnok is on display on the Bajza Street facade of the Hungarian Academy of Arts building.

The Műcsarnok opened its doors 130 years ago, on May 4, 1896. Designed by Albert Schickedanz and dedicated to “Hungarian fine arts,” the exhibition hall has since served as a living venue for the dialogue between tradition and contemporary fine arts. In the year of its 130th anniversary—paying tribute to the masters of the past—we are focusing our exhibitions on the finest contemporary artists.

The Műcsarnok, part of the Hungarian Academy of Arts family of institutions, is Central Europe’s largest exhibition venue. Founded in 1861 as a venue for members of the National Hungarian Society of Fine Arts to showcase their work, the Műcsarnok—as the heir to its original founders—now hosts 20–25 exhibitions annually, showcasing esteemed artists from the contemporary Hungarian and international art scenes.

Since 2014, the Műcsarnok has welcomed visitors with a new exhibition concept. The National Salons, held every five years by genre, summarize the latest achievements in contemporary fine art, architecture and applied arts, photography, and folk art. The “Frissen” series brings the studio scale closer to the public, while the thematic exhibitions range from animation to nature art. Architecture plays a prominent role, from the life’s work of Károly Kós to the living architectural oeuvre of Imre Makovecz, as does photography, featuring, among others, the creative worlds of Éva Keleti, András Balla, László Haris, Imre Benkő, and Ferenc Olasz. The opening exhibitions of the Budapest Photo Festival showcase the works of world-renowned artists such as David Lynch and Peter Lindbergh.

In addition to the visual arts exhibitions, music, dance, film, and theater also feature in the Műcsarnok’s program. Unique experiences are offered by special guided tours, while museum education workshops await the youngest visitors. A significant portion of the exhibitions can also be explored online via virtual tours, reaching an even wider audience.