Déri Múzeum
Debrecen’s main museum, with the Munkácsy trilogy, the Egyptian, Japanese and arms-history material of the Déri collection, and the history of the town.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The idea of a museum in Debrecen had existed since the 1860s, but the Városi Múzeum (Town Museum) was only founded in 1902, when the jeweller and art dealer Löfkovits Arthur offered the town a collection of about 2,500 items. The institution aimed to present local and national history, and it had a book and manuscript library, an antiquities collection, and departments for fine art, ethnography and natural history.
In autumn 1920 Déri Frigyes, a silk manufacturer from Bácska living in Vienna, announced that he wished to place his collection, intended for the Hungarian state, in Debrecen. Alongside Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, Japanese, Iranian, Mongolian and Indian objects, the collection contains an outstandingly rich range of weapons, coins and fine art. In the 1920s the holdings of the Városi Múzeum were merged with the Déri collection, creating today’s Déri Múzeum.
The museum’s most popular hall is the Munkácsy Terem (Munkácsy Hall), where the three monumental paintings of Munkácsy Mihály’s Christ trilogy are displayed together; the series was first placed in one room on 25 August 1995. Among today’s permanent exhibitions are the Japanese Samurai house, the Fegyvertörténet (Arms History), the Régi Képtár (Old Picture Gallery), the natural history exhibition of the Nagyerdő, and an exhibition on the town’s development in the 19th century and the events of 1848.
Highlights
- The Munkácsy trilogy in the Munkácsy Terem
- Samurai house: the Japanese material of the Déri collection
- Arms History and Old Picture Gallery from the Déri legacy
- Nagyerdő natural history exhibition
- Prospering Debrecen and the memory of 1848
- Guided tour with light show in the Munkácsy Terem
Permanent exhibitions
- A Munkácsy-trilógia – Three monumental paintings by Munkácsy Mihály on the Passion of Christ, seen together in the Munkácsy Terem.
- Szamuráj udvarház – The Japanese material of the Déri collection around a stylised late Edo-period samurai house, with Edo-period objects.
- Régi Képtár – Nearly seventy 17th–19th-century paintings, from the baroque to the flourishing of history painting, in thematic groups.
- Founded
- 1902
Admission & discounts
| Adults | HUF 2,800 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | HUF 1,400ages 6–26 and 62–70 |
| Children & teens | HUF 1,400free up to age 5 · Reduced ticket for ages 6–26; free admission under age 6. |
| Seniors | HUF 1,400Reduced ticket for ages 62–70; visitors over 70 may visit free of charge. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Persons with disabilities and one companion may visit free of charge. |
| Students & apprentices | HUF 1,400Reduced ticket for ages 6–26. |
| Groups | –Groups must register in advance. |
| Families | HUF 7,0002 adults and up to 3 school-age children; the ticket is also valid for the Medgyessy Ferenc Memorial Exhibition and the Debreceni Irodalom Háza. |
| Guided tour with light show in the Munkácsy Terem (surcharge) | HUF 1,000Per person, in addition to the admission ticket. |
| Backpack programme (Egyptian or Japanese), surcharge | HUF 1,400Per backpack, in addition to the admission ticket. |
| Guided tour | HUF 10,000Per group and per exhibition unit; must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance: +36 20 499 9484. |
| Temporary exhibition (full price) | HUF 1,600Reduced ticket HUF 800; family admission HUF 4,000. |
| Occasional photography for smaller groups and couples | HUF 20,000Per occasion, for up to one hour; must be registered at least 2 weeks in advance. |
Free admission: Free admission on national holidays (15 March, 20 August, 23 October); on the last Sunday of every month a statutory discount is available.
The full-price ticket for the Déri Múzeum also covers the Medgyessy Ferenc Memorial Exhibition and the Debreceni Irodalom Háza. Presenting the Városkártya (City Card) gives 20% off the full-price adult ticket. Payment at the cash desk is possible in cash, by bank card and with the MBH SZÉP card.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | HUF 7,000 · 2 adults and up to 3 school-age children; the ticket is also valid for the Medgyessy Ferenc Memorial Exhibition and the Debreceni Irodalom Háza. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
A family admission ticket is available; the museum offers backpack programmes (Egyptian, Japanese) and museum education sessions.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Kálvin tér
From the railway station, tram 1 to the Kálvin tér stop, or tram 2 to the Hunyadi utca stop.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance on +36 20 499 9484. |
