Tornyai János Múzeum
The museum of Hódmezővásárhely, with Neolithic archaeological, ethnographic, local history and fine art collections and several outside exhibition sites.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The founding of the Hódmezővásárhely museum was made possible by the industrial and agricultural exhibition of 1904. At the suggestion of the painter Tornyai János, an ethnographic and fine art “chat room” was set up at the exhibition, and the collecting was carried out by Kiss Lajos, later an ethnographer. The town council decided to found the museum on 15 February 1905; the first exhibition opened on 20 October 1907.
The archaeological collection grew through Banner János’s excavations at Kökénydomb, and the fine art collection was founded in 1936 by the estate of Tornyai János, who gave 923 of his works to the town. The museum became independent in 1946 and took the name of Tornyai János in 1951. From 1954 the Vásárhelyi Őszi Tárlat has been held here; it is the institution’s most visited temporary exhibition.
The world-famous pieces of the archaeological material are the Kökénydomb Venus, the Kökénydomb Altar and the Sickle God of Szegvár-Tűzkövesi. The museum also runs several outside exhibition sites: the Alföldi Galéria, the Népművészeti Ház (Folk Art House), the Csúcsi fazekasház (Csúcs potter’s house), the Papi-féle szélmalom (Papi windmill), the Emlékpont and the Magyar Tragédia 1944 exhibition site.
Highlights
- “Hétköznapok Vénuszai” – Neolithic archaeological exhibition
- “Évszázadok a Hód-tó partján – Houdtól Újvárosig”
- Storage display with around 1,500 objects
- “Kincsek a szántásból” – the Szikáncs gold find
- Alföldi Galéria, Népművészeti Ház, Csúcs potter’s house and Papi windmill
Permanent exhibitions
- Hétköznapok Vénuszai – The permanent archaeological exhibition leads into the everyday life of Neolithic people: it shows the life of a Neolithic village, the belief world of the Tisza culture and the late Neolithic reed-mat and textile craft.
- Látványraktár – A storage display covering the museum’s entire collecting scope, with around 1,500 ethnographic, archaeological, local history and fine art objects.
- Évszázadok a Hód-tó partján – Houdtól Újvárosig – Permanent local history exhibition on the past of Hódmezővásárhely.
- Founded
- 1905
Admission & discounts
| Adults | HUF 1,800 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | HUF 900Students aged 6–26, pensioners aged 62–70 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 5 · Everyone under 6 may enter free of charge. |
| Seniors | HUF 900Ages 62–70; for those over 70, free admission for EEA citizens. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Persons with disabilities and one companion may enter free of charge. |
| Students & apprentices | HUF 900Ages 6–26. |
| Groups (15+ people) | HUF 1,300 per personFor groups of at least 15 people; reduced group ticket HUF 650. |
| Combined walking ticket (Tornyai János Museum and Alföldi Gallery, valid on the day of purchase) | HUF 2,900Reduced HUF 1,450; family walking ticket HUF 5,500 (two adults and at least two children under 18); group ticket HUF 2,200. |
| Photo ticket | HUF 1,000 |
| Guided tour of the permanent exhibitions in Hungarian | HUF 8,000For temporary exhibitions HUF 6,000; for all exhibitions HUF 10,000. |
| Museum lesson / museum education session | HUF 10,000Museum education session HUF 400 per child. |
| “Kincsek a szántásból” – the Szikáncs gold find | HUF 600Reduced HUF 300; family ticket HUF 1,000. |
Free admission: Free on 15 March, 20 August, 23 October and on Hungarian Culture Day (22 January); on the first Saturday of every month the permanent exhibitions are free for visitors under 26.
The ticket entitles the holder to one entry to both the permanent and the temporary exhibitions. The service charge for using the toilets is HUF 500. Entitlement to free or reduced admission must be proven with identification; with the Vásárhely Kártya admission is free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Museum education sessions for kindergarten and primary school children.
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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Museum education sessions for kindergarten children and school pupils (grades 1–8). |
