Hungarian National Museum, National museum in District VIII, Budapest, Hungary.
The Hungarian National Museum is the country's principal historical collection in the eighth district of Budapest, housed in a neoclassical palace with imposing columns fronting its facade. The building complex includes sprawling exhibition galleries across multiple floors, a central courtyard with arcaded walkways, and a public garden that slopes toward the street.
Count Ferenc Széchényi founded the collection in 1802 by donating his private library and coin collection to the nation. Construction of the current building began in 1837 according to designs by Mihály Pollack and was completed a decade later, with its steps and forecourt becoming the site of political gatherings during the 1848 revolution.
On the first floor, visitors encounter the royal coronation regalia, including King Stephen's coronation mantle from the eleventh century. The exhibition continues with rooms displaying traditional clothing and tools from different Hungarian regions, offering insights into daily life across past centuries.
The institution opens Tuesday through Sunday from ten in the morning until six in the evening, with the building offering ramp access and elevators for wheelchair users. Signage inside guides visitors through the different exhibition levels, and a ground floor café provides a place to rest between galleries.
Bronze statues of János Arany and Sándor Petőfi stand before the main entrance, commemorating the day in March 1848 when Petőfi recited his poem National Song here. This staircase has since become a symbolic site for national commemorations and rallies.
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