Hadtörténeti Intézet és Múzeum

About the museum

The Hungarian military history museum was founded in November 1918 on the initiative of two officers of the Ministry of Defence, together with the military history archive. During the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy most Hungarian relics had gone to the military history museum in Vienna, so there had long been a need for a domestic collection to preserve them. In 1920 the collection was housed in the Mária Terézia barracks on Üllői út; its permanent home was then found in the wing of the 19th-century Nándor barracks of Buda Castle facing the Vérmező. The building was converted between 1926 and 1929, and the first permanent exhibition opened on 29 May 1937, on Hősök napja (Heroes’ Day).

During the Second World War a significant part of the relocated collection was damaged or lost, and the building in Buda was half-destroyed during the siege. The museum was able to reopen its own building in May 1949, initially with only six rooms. In the 1950s a high-ceilinged room was created for the artillery material, and in 1963–1964 the Haditechnikai Park (Military Technology Park) was established in the courtyard.

The institution moved out of the Kapisztrán tér building for a few years. In June 2026, during the Museum Night, it had already opened its doors with a presentation on the history of military technology; in autumn 2026 it returns permanently to Buda Castle. The return goes hand in hand with the modernisation of the building and the development of new exhibition concepts. Until the full renewal, visitors can see temporary exhibitions in the representative rooms, dealing with selected themes; the first of these is the exhibition “Sorsok iktatva” (Fates Filed), opened on 23 October 2026, on the 70th anniversary of the 1956 revolution.

Highlights

• Return to the historic Kapisztrán tér building in Buda Castle
• “Sorsok iktatva” (Fates Filed) – a selection of memories of the 1956 revolution in the Márványterem (Marble Hall)
• Collection on the memories of Hungarian military history
• Museum education sessions and guided tours for school groups
• Military history archive, library and map collection within the institution

Founded

1918

Operated by

Honvédelmi Minisztérium

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Visiting the current temporary exhibition is free of charge. Museum education sessions, weapon demonstrations and other programmes are likewise free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Craft and museum education sessions, weapon demonstrations and the Utazó Múzeum (Travelling Museum) programme for school groups; family days are held at events.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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