Magyar Földrajzi Múzeum

About the museum

The museum is housed in Érd’s only surviving listed manor house, built in 1840 by Prince Batthyány Fülöp. After the flood of 1838 a new part of the settlement developed beside the busy main road, and the inn built there was named the Pelikán Inn after the animal of the Batthyány coat of arms. Judging by its classicist features, it was probably designed by Hild József, Pollack Mihály or one of their pupils. Its later owners included the Sina and Wimpffen families and Count Károlyi Imre.

The Érd municipality bought the building in 1926: a civic boys’ school occupied one wing, the gendarmerie the other; from 1942 the village hall was located here, and later the council chamber. From 1983 the Magyar Földrajzi Gyűjtemény (Hungarian Geographical Collection) and the Zenei Könyvtár (Music Library) were housed in the east wing.

The Magyar Földrajzi Gyűjtemény was founded in 1983 by Balázs Dénes, geographer from Érd, from ethnographic and natural history collections from five continents and the seemingly lost souvenirs of Hungarian travellers. Its collecting remit still covers the relics, manuscripts, letters, diaries and photographs of Hungarian geographers and travellers, as well as objects linked to the history of geography teaching. Since 2008 the Hely- és Sporttörténeti Kiállítás (Local and Sports History Exhibition) has operated as a separate collection of the museum, in a late 19th-century house with a porch.

Highlights

• Life stories of nearly seventy Hungarian travellers, and the Globe Hall
• Most of the estate of Cholnoky Jenő
• Scientific explorers of the Carpathian Basin
• The scattered natural treasures of Érd
• Local history exhibition on Felső utca
• 3D virtual walk through the exhibitions

Permanent exhibitions

• Magyar utazók, földrajzi felfedezők – The life stories of nearly seventy Hungarian travellers, the Globe Hall, and halls on early modern, Asian, African, American and Australian travellers.
• A Kárpát-medence tudományos feltárói – An exhibition presenting the work of scientists who researched the natural conditions of the Carpathian Basin.
• Érd elszórt természeti kincsei – An exhibition presenting the natural values of the Érd–Tétényi Plateau and the settlement of prehistoric people.

Founded

1983

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 15 March, 20 August, 23 October, and on the first weekend of every month for visitors under 26 and close relatives accompanying a child under 18 (up to two persons).

The Hungary Card gives two people a 25% discount; with the card of the Nagycsaládosok Országos Egyesülete (National Association of Large Families, NOE), two children may visit the exhibitions free of charge. Eligibility for discounts must be proven. Payment by bank card is possible.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum offers museum education lessons, craft workshops and class-day programmes (HUF 750–1,250 per person); family tickets are available.

Getting there & parking

By car it can be reached via the M7 or M6 motorway, or along main road 6 or 7.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Up to 200 guests.

The rooftop conference room (up to 50 people, 210 m²) and the museum garden’s carriage house (up to 200 people, 600 m²) can be rented for cultural events and further training, at HUF 20,000 per hour for each venue; the rental does not include chairs and technical equipment.

Plan your visit