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Budapest Museums (Page 2)

Military History Museum

War Museum, BudapestI. Tóth árpád sétány 40, Open: 10am-5pm Tue-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.militaria.hu
Situated in a former municipal army barracks, the Museum of Military History has a sprawling collection of weaponry and war memorabilia housed on two main floors. Open to the public since 1937 and restored after World War II, the museum has permanent collections covering the 1848 revolution and War of Independence, both World Wars and the 1956 uprising, together with more modern displays showing machinery, guns and other military equipment used by the Hungarian army. On the ground floor, shells of different calibres and sizes line the museum's corridors, while above, images of engineers building pontoon bridges, soldiers hauling gun carriages and weary infantry men in the trenches stare out at you.

On the staircase leading to the first floor, there are two lovely stain glass windows depicting Buda in 1493 and Budavár Bevetele in 1849. Turn right and you'll find exhibits on military history during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including uniforms worn by the Hungarian Hussar regiment.

The are also large display cases featuring models and battle scenes from World War II, although the addition of a Huey helicopter (as used in Vietnam) was somewhat puzzling. The displays devoted to the tragic events of the 1956 uprising are the most poignant by far.

One nice touch is the WW2 American helmet which sits on a clear glass case on the ground floor landing. A slot has been cut in the top so that visitors can make a donation to the museum. The entrance, which is from Tóth árpád sétány (promenade) has a fine lookout over Buda's western suburbs.

Museum of Applied Arts

IX. Üllői út 33-37, Metro: M3 Ferenc körút, Trams 4, 6, Open: 10am-4pm Tue-Sun from Jan 1-13 March, 10am-6pm rest of the year, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.imm.hu
This beautiful building was designed by Odön Lechner and completed in 1896. It houses a number of interesting exhibitions with a permanent display of arts and crafts and furniture in the upstairs area.

Museum of Commerce and Catering

I. Fortuna utca 4, Várbusz, Bus 16, Open: 10am-5pm Wed-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat/Sun, Closed: Mon/Tue, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.mkvm.hu, Show Map
The old 18th century inn at No. 4 Fortuna utca now houses a small but interesting museum dedicated to the history of confectionery and pastry shops. If you have small children, then this perhaps is a better place to visit than some of the other more austere museums on Castle Hill.

Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts, BudapestXIV. Hősök tere, Metro: M1 Hősök tere, Bus 4, 20, 30, 105, Trolleybus 75, 79, Open: 10am-5:30pm All year round, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www2.szepmuveszeti.hu/index.htm
The museum stands on the northern side of Heroes' Square and houses the National collection of non-Hungarian art with items dating back to the Egyptian era. Some count this as one of the most impressive galleries in Central Europe as it's home to works by famed artists such as El Greco, Goya, Rembrant and Rubens. A strong core of the art collection was collected by the Esterházy family, once one of the most influential aristocratic families in the country. There are often temporary exhibitions on show and it's therefore worth checking to see what's on beforehand. However, the permanent displays alone are well-worth a visit.

Museum of Music History

I. Táncsics Mihály utca 7, Várbusz, Bus 16, Open: 10am-6pm Mar 15-Oct 31, 10am-5pm Nov 1-Mar14, Closed Mondays, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.zti.hu/museum.htm
Set in the magnificent Baroque surroundings of the Erdődy Palace, the Museum of Music History charts the history of musical life in Budapest from the 18th to 20th centuries. A section of the exhibition is devoted to the life and works of composer Béla Bartók, while early Hungarian musical instruments are also on display.

Postal Museum

VI. Andrássy út 3, Metro: M1 Bajcsy-Zsilinksky út, Bus 4, 105, Open: 10am-6pm Apr 1-Oct 31, 10am-4pm Nov 1-Mar 31 (closed Mondays), Budapest Card accepted
Set in a decorative first floor apartment formerly belonging to the wealthy Andreas Saxlehner, the museum details the history of the Hungarian postal service. Included among the exhibits is a mock 19th-century post office and vintage mail vehicle. The building itself is the highlight of a visit here.

Ráth György Museum

VI. Városligeti fasor 12, M1 Bajza utca, Bus 4, 105, Trolleybus 78,79, Open: 10am-4pm Jan 1-Mar 31, 10am-6pm Mar 14-Dec 31, Budapest Card accepted
Just a stone's throw away from Heroes' Square, the former home of artist György Ráth is devoted to Buddhist and Eastern Art from China and Japan. Among the excellent displays are ornate snuff bottles, Samurai armour and intricately detailed lacquered combs. Temporary exhibitions of art from other Far Eastern countries also take place here during the summer.

Semmelweis Museum of Medical History

I. Apród utca 1-3, Tram 18, Open: 10:30am-5pm Tue-Sun, Budapest Card accepted
Housed in the birthplace of Dr Ignác Semmelweis (who discovered the cure for puerperal fever) the Museum's exhibits document the history of medicine from ancient times to the present day. Of the many surgical instruments on display, most interesting is the medieval chastity belt. Makes you wonder what anyone wearing one would do if they had an itch!

Stamp Museum

VII. Hársfa utca 47, Open: 10am-6pm Tue-Sun, Metro: M1 Vörösmarty u.
With a collection that includes every first edition Hungarian postage stamp, this museum is a real treat for collectors. Foreign stamps are not left out either, as displays are organised by continent and country. If nothing else, the museum leaves you with the opinion that Hungarian stamps are (arguably) the most beautiful in the world.

Statue Park (Szoborpark)

Statue Park, BudapestXXII. Balatoni út, Bus 50, Open: 10am-dusk daily, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.szoborpark.hu
Without a hint of irony, the old lady selling tickets to this curious outdoor museum puts on a tape of stirring Soviet music as you pass through the main entrance. Visitors to Szobor Park seem to fall into two categories - those intrigued by the idea of a dumping ground for Soviet and Communist statues and others making a bizarre sort of pilgrimage to wallow in what remains of the good old days of 'goulash communism'.

Back then, the statues represented, albeit superficially, a powerful symbol of Soviet strength and unity. Today, stuck out on the edge of town, they've lost much of their dignity, instead being brutally exposed as the idealistic follies that ordinary Hungarians always knew them to be. Worth a look, but not as impressive as most guide books would have you believe.

Telephone Museum

I. Úri utca. 49, Várbusz, Bus 16, Open: 10am-6pm Apr 1-Oct31, 10am-4pm Nov 1-Mar 31, Closed Mondays), Budapest Card accepted
A small museum set in a former telephone exchange in Buda's Castle District. Centred around a fully working antique switchboard, the exhibition charts the history of the telephone using various interactive displays. Not as much fun for kids as some tourist guides claim. Instead, you may find them slipping back to their Nintendos for a sneaky game of Super Mario Kart.

Transport Museum

Budapest Transport MuseumXIV. Városligeti körút 11, Tram 1, Trolleybus 70, 72, 74, Open: 10am-4pm Tue-Thu from Jan 1-Apr 30, 10am-5pm Tue-Sun May 1-Sep 30, 10am-5pm Sat/Sun Oct 1-Dec 31, Closed Monday, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.km.iif.hu/index.html
Permanent exhibitions on the history of Hungarian railways (including scale models), shipping and the development of the modern car and motorcycle. Accompanied by guided tours, films and lectures throughout the year.

Tomb of Gül Baba

II. Mecset utca 14, Bus 91, Open: 10am-6pm May 1-Oct 31 (closed Mondays), Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.btm.hu/Turbe/turbe.htm
Burial chapel of the muslim dervish and member of the Bektashi order who died in 1541 following the capture of Buda. Built between 1543 and 1548, the octagonal building now features a permanent display of religious items and Turkish rugs. A well known shrine for Muslims.

Underground Railway Museum

Metro: M1, M2, M3 Deák tér, Opening hours to follow, Budapest Card accepted
Located inside Deák tér metro station, the museum occupies part of an original underground tunnel. The exhibits give good insight into the development of mainland Europe's first subway service and include a number vintage carriages which ran on the original line built for the Millennium celebrations in 1896. There are also architect's plans, various drawings and other period memorabilia that makes the museum an interesting place to stop off.

Vasarely Museum

III. Szentlélek tér 6, Metro: HÉV árpad híd, Bus 6, 86, 106, Tram 1, Open: 10am-6pm Mar 15-Oct 31, 10am-5pm Nov 1-Mar 14, Budapest Card accepted
Housed in a two-storey wing of the old aristocratic home of the Zichy family, Vasarely's vast collection of over four hundred works creates one of the most vivid and inspirational galleries in Budapest.

Born in Pécs, Hungary, at the turn-of-20th-century, Victor Vasarely spent his early working life in advertising before moving with his wife Klára to Paris in 1930. Inspired by the Bauhaus movement of Walter Gropius in 1919, he found fame as an artist after exhibiting at the Boétie Street Gallery, Paris in 1944.

Dubbed as the father of Op Art in the 60s, his familiar style of creating illusionary 3D geometric shapes on flat canvases has an almost hypnotic effect. Early efforts such as MITIN (1938) give a clear indication of the style he would later follow, while more recent works such as BULL (1973-74) are a prelude to modern day computer imagery. For anyone interested in modern art the Vasarely Múzeum is a must.

Zoltán Kodály Memorial Museum

VI. Kodály körönd 1, Metro: M1 Kodály körönd, Bus 4, 106, Open: 10am-4pm Wed, 10am-6pm Thu-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun, (Mon/Tue closed), Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.iks.hu/museum.htm
The former home of the Hungarian composer until his death in 1967, the memorial museum has on display folk art objects that he owned as well as personal manuscripts and photographs.
 

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