Mátra Múzeum
Natural history museum in Gyöngyös, housed in Orczy Castle and in the pavilion, with a palm house, live animals and a garden.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The history of the Mátra Múzeum goes back to the 19th century: in 1887 the Mátra Section of the Hungarian Carpathian Society (Magyarországi Kárpát Egyesület) founded it on the initiative of lawyer Hanák Kolos, and it opened on 15 May 1887 in a classroom of the grammar school. The collection brought together the animal, plant and mineral specimens of the Mátra, domestic industrial products and tourist objects. The fire of Gyöngyös in 1917, and then the world wars, caused great damage to it.
The museum was re-established in 1952, and on 21 July 1957 it opened in Orczy Castle. In 1970 a large natural history exhibition opened, featuring the mammoth found at Mátraderecske. Restoration of the castle and garden began after 2004; the natural history pavilion was completed in 2009, and the reconstruction was recognised in 2009 with the Europa Nostra Award.
Since the end of 2012 the Mátra Múzeum has been a branch institution of the Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum (Hungarian Natural History Museum), with its own operating licence. The three-storey pavilion, of around 1,200 square metres, presents the native habitats with built wood evoking oak and with twenty-four dioramas. Live animal displays have operated in the Palm House since 2015, with aquariums, terrariums, a bird aviary and a small pond. The two-hold garden offers a taste of the wildlife of the Mátra.
Highlights
- Three-storey natural history pavilion with a 15-metre built oak
- Dioramas of native habitats, with more than 100 bird species
- Palm House with live animal displays, aquariums and terrariums
- Bird egg collection, one of the largest in the country
- Orczy Castle and the two-hold museum garden
- Renovation recognised with the Europa Nostra Award
Permanent exhibitions
- Természetrajzi kiállítás a pavilonban – The three-storey pavilion uses 24 dioramas to present the flora and fauna of native habitats, along with the bird, mollusc and insect collections.
- Pálmaház és élőállat-bemutató – Tropical and subtropical plants, aquariums, terrariums, a bird aviary and a small pond on two levels.
- Founded
- 1887
- Operated by
- Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum Közgyűjteményi Központ)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | HUF 3,500 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | HUF 1,750Ages 6–26 and 62–70 (Hungarian and EEA citizens) |
| Children & teens | HUF 1,750free up to age 5 · Free admission up to the age of six. |
| Seniors | HUF 1,750Ages 62–70; those over 70 enter free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · People with disabilities and their companion (up to one person per entitled visitor) enter free of charge. |
| Students & apprentices | HUF 1,750Ages 6–26. |
| Groups (16+ people) | HUF 1,500 per personStudent groups aged 6–26, more than 15 people, per person. |
| Families | HUF 7,000Two adults (close relatives) and one child aged 6–18. |
| Garden admission, full price | HUF 1,000Reduced ticket for youth and for ages 62–70: HUF 500; annual garden pass: HUF 5,000; free for residents of Gyöngyös and holders of a city card. |
| Guided tour for groups (1–10 people) | HUF 5,000Above 10 people HUF 500 per person, up to 40 people, about 60 minutes, by prior booking; not available at weekends and on public holidays. |
| Museum education session for kindergartens | HUF 600HUF 500 per person for schoolchildren; not available at weekends and on public holidays. |
Free admission: On the first Sunday of every month, visitors under 26 and up to two close relatives accompanying a child under 18 may enter free. On national holidays (15 March, 20 August, 23 October) everyone may enter free.
Prices valid from 16 March 2026. The combined ticket covers both the castle and the pavilion and includes admission to the garden. Payment at the ticket office by cash, bank card and OTP SZÉP card. Commercial photography HUF 12,000; photo and video together HUF 22,000.
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 · Two adults (close relatives) and one child aged 6–18. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Museum education lessons for kindergartens and schools, live animal displays in the Palm House, family tickets; on the first Sunday of the month young people may enter free.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
Dogs and other animals may not be brought onto the museum grounds.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Group guided tours present the permanent exhibition of the Természettudományi Pavilon (Natural Science Pavilion). |
