Millenium Underground Museum

By | Published 5/05/2013

I discovered this underground museum during my research for the lesser known museums of Budapest. I have no idea how I could be so blind; I have walked past it hundreds of times for about 7 years, but I never noticed it. After all, who would expect to see a museum in the underpass? At the same time, it is of course the perfect place for it. I remember that people passing by were looking at us puzzled when we entered the museum; it was obvious that some of them had not noticed the museum before that either.





















The museum itself is quite small, about the size of a Metro Line 1 station; it actually was a Millennium underground terminal before it had to be relocated in 1955 due to the construction of Metro Line 2. Regardless of the small size, however, the museum is quite informative assembling a diverse collection of construction plans, photos, old letters, advertisements, and maquettes of the turn of the century Budapest. As the exhibition focuses on the Millennium Underground, naturally there are three original train cars on display here; each of them from a different era, representing the evolution of the underground railway cars. I would have loved to go inside of these cars, but to my disappointment, it was not available; only a few dummies, dressed in period clothing, occupy these old cars. On the bright side though, I was impressed by the English information boards because everything was translated, not only key words or the most important bits.


Why is it called Millennium Underground? - you may ask. Well, apart from the purpose of carrying passengers between the city center and the City Park, the opening of this underground was also a part of the Hungarian Millennium Celebrations in 1896. It was the year of the thousandth anniversary of the Magyars arriving in the Carpathian Basin in 896. On the occasion of this anniversary, Budapest was transforming into a majestic and modern city, and it soon became one of the most beautiful capitals in the world at that time. (For me, it still is.) Numerous new institutions were opened (e.g. Museum of Applied Arts), new buildings constructed (e.g. Liberty Bridge), squares and statues built (Millennium Memorial on Heroes' Square) and the Millennium Underground was one of these new wonders of our capital, while it was also the second electrified underground railway system in the world.




This is how the Millennium Underground stations used to look like - was it not majestic?

This underground, or as we often call it, the Yellow line is actually one of the most beloved parts of the city. It has a unique, nostalgic atmosphere, thanks to the original appearance of the old stations; the railway cars have a very distinct sound; and the small size of the cars make travelling an intimate experience, which I think is a nice change after the impersonal crowd of the other metro lines.
I have slightly gone off track here, but to be honest, I do not wish to spoil the fun by describing everything in detail. I think everyone who has travelled with the yellow line fell a little in love with it so this museum is the perfect place to indulge one's fascination for the Millennium Underground and to learn some fun facts.


Tips and Facts:

- tickets are 280 HUF for students, 350 for adults (usually the same price as one subway ticket)
- the museum shop offers some really cool stuff both for kids and adults
- the museum is in the underground passage leading to the escalators and located next to the ticket clerk station


Budapest, Deak Ter metro station
Tuesday - Sunday: 10 am - 5 pm

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'Fun with Flags' Vol 2.

By | Published 4/29/2013

I have just received an e-mail from László Balogh, the owner of the Flag Museum, about the upcoming temporary exhibition replacing the one about Paraguay. The new exhibition will introduce the culture, history, geography, and economy of Argentina. It will be open to visitors from 16 May 2013. 



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Pál Molnár C. Studio Museum (my No. 1 museum experience)

By | Published 4/28/2013

Take a studio museum. Add the works of two spectacular artists; sprinkle it with hospitality; top it with an intimate atmosphere; and finally apply a devoted and professional staff and voila, you have one of the best museum experiences of your life. I have to admit, when we stepped into the museum and the guide immediately offered us some tea (for free of course) I was already swept off my feet and this musem visit got better with every minute...but let me start from the beginning.



 The museum is located in Buda, in a very peaceful, green, and pleasant neigbourhood, exactly where I would have imagined the home of a painter. The house he lived and worked in is still his family's property, in fact, his descendants live in the floor under the studio. They are actively participating in the art programs/events organized by the museum, and Pál Molnár C.'s grandson is a guide himself. The staff also includes art history teachers and students from the Péter Pázmány Catholic University. I could feel from the first minute that this museum focused more on the appreciation of art and preserving the memory of a loved grandfather rather than profit. Every single person we met ( the art history teacher, the student, and the family members) was very welcoming. They all introduced themselves with a handshake and wide smiles on their faces.



We started with the temporary exhibition in the studio of Pál Molnár C. (1894-1981). He was a Hungarian modern artist, with a very diverse style repertoire. In 1937, at the Paris World Fair, which was one of the most extraordinary cultural events of the century, he won three awards for his artistic achievement: a Diplome d'Honnoeur for his graphic art, a Grand Prix award for his Cyrano-themed xylograph series and a gold medal for his work 'I believe in the resurrection of Hungary'. His achievement in religious art is also significant; while skimming through some of the books in his studio we realized that he painted the altar-pieces of many churches in Budapest. My friend was ecstatic when she saw that the altar-piece of a church in her hometown was also a Pál Molnár C. creation. His sketches were used to illustrate daily papers, the menus of the New York Cafe, and even the poetry books of famous Hungarian poets, such as Dezső Kosztolányi. The walls were crowded with his works, highlighting the diverse nature of his creations. While sipping our delicious tea and viewing those masterpieces, me and my friend were repeatedly looking at each other with awe, expressing how astonishingly great this museum was. 


Pál Molnár C's painting glasses with little pieces of fabric attached to them to shield his vision from the streaming sunlight

From our guide we have learned that the museum organizes events every week, both for children and adults. The little ones are incredibly lucky, I must say; what can be better than an interactive art program where kids can sit down and paint in the studio of an extraordinary artist? Apparently it is the best thing ever, because parents got jealous and asked for a similar art program for adults as well. Additionally, there are other kind of events with artists, painting conservators, and other guest speakers.




The temporary exhibition centers around the works of Gyula Rudnay, a contemporary of Pál Molnár C. He received several esteemed awards himself, among them the Kossuth Prize, which is the most prestigious cultural award in Hungary. He is well-know from his individual use of color and fondness of  the Hungarian countryside, the topic of most of his works. His landscapes and paintings of the village life of early 20th century Hungary are a must-see for every tourist. 

An art history teacher from Pázmány University gave us quite an extended tour, so much so that we stayed for 20 mintes after the museum should have closed. He talked about the earlier temporary exhibitions, shared stories of the museum events, and chronicled the whole life story of Rudnay, his inspirations and the characteristics of his painting style. At some point he sat down and played something on the piano while we were in the other room; another indicator that this museum has a very special atmoshpere.





Apparently, there is a little game for visitors after they are finished with the exhibitions and if they paid attention, they might even win a little prize! ;)



Tips and facts for future visitors:

- the only little problem was the lack of English translation under the quotes, however, the guides are so enthusiastic that they will gladly translate anything

- the museum shop is amazing, definitely check it out!

- you must drink from the tea, it is the best!

- I suggest that you call the museum in advance to make sure the English speaking guide will be there at the time of your visit

- the website is only available in Hungarian at the moment so in case you need further info, do not hesitate to leave a comment and ask me


 Pál Molnár C. Studio Museum
1118 Budapest, 65 Ménesi street
Thursday/Friday/Saturday: 10 am-6 pm
http://www.mcpmuzeum.hu/
Phone: +36 30 201 1073

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Semmelweis Museum of Medical History

By | Published 4/21/2013

Ignaz Semmelweis, "the savior of mothers", was a Hungarian physician who lived in the 19th century. He discovered that puerperal fever can be prevented with hand disinfection. He was essentially the first person who ever suggested that doctors should wash their hands before surgeries or examinations. Believe it or not, most doctors were quite offended by his suggestion (which is shocking, considering it was already the 19th century), and Semmelweis' brilliant discovery remained unappreciated until years after his death.

The museum of medical history, although named after Semmelweis, is not a memorial museum. The substantial collection of the permanent exhibition presents the development of the western as well as Hungarian medicine and medical system. The museum is obviously a must see for those involved in medicine but it can be fascinating even for laics like me who are interested by the human body. However, I would not recommend it for pregnant ladies. The reason is quite simple; a woman awaiting the birth of her child might get slightly discouraged (or frightened) by the sight of the surgical instruments physicians used on women in labour before modern medicine.


And this brings me to the most important fact about this exhibition. As I told my friend who visited with me, "the creep factor is not small". But let me elaborate on that. The first detailed anatomy books from the 16th century; the reconstruction of the old Holy Spirit Pharmacy; the obstetrical demonstration model from the 17th century (see picture below); or the reconstruction of the anatomical theater of the University of Padua from 1594 are only a few examples of the very rich and interesting collection but the highlights for me were the surgical instruments on display. Most of them were utterly terrifying (partly because I am quite imaginative) yet at the same time, really fascinating. I will always be astonished by how people could survive surgeries hundreds of years ago, but give credit where credit is due, physicians obviously did the best they could and invented many lifesaving instruments doctors use today. My only problem was that I would have loved to know more about the medical instruments displayed, for example how a sixteen-blade lancet from the 19th century works but apart from the title, there was no indication of its use. If you have a medical student among your friends visiting with you, you are in for a treat but for me, Google is the only option.





Of course there were plenty other objects and relics that were not terrifying in any way. I found the part about the use of homeopathy quite interesting; who knew homeopathy was a thing already in the 19th century? Another surprise was that the old-school dentist drill worked just like my grandmothers old sewing machine: by pedaling. Also, I was almost laughing out loud when I read that the first and most important discovery in medicine was the importance of having a bath. We might find this obvious; however, apparently there were times when people had no idea that keeping themselves clean would prevent diseases. The first Hungarian pharmaceutical journals were quite hilarious to read as well, which the foreign visitors unfortunately cannot appreciate as much. With regard to languages, English translations are displayed next to the Hungarian information boards. (I found a few vocabulary mistakes on the board. However, to be honest, I found such mistakes in every other museum as well, but none of them were too confusing).







This visit was an interesting mixture of terrifying as well as funny moments and although it was not an intellectual or sophisticated museum experience like a Van Gogh exhibiton, I would gladly return with my godmother (the most brilliant Biology and Chemistry teacher) to have some further adventures in the world of medical history.

(Tip: Do not leave before checking out the garden and the memorial of Semmelweis with the statue.)

Semmelweis Museum of Medical History
1013 Budapest, 1-3 Apród Street
Tuesday-Sunday: 10:30 am - 6 pm


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Gizi Bajor Theater Museum

By | Published 4/14/2013

Yesterday's museum visit was an amazing experience. The pleasant spring weather, the beautiful neighborhood of the museum on a hill in Buda, the violets we picked from the garden of the museum (shameful I know but we could not resist), and the feeling of being in that villa surrounded by all those relics and memories, it was unforgettable.

First of all, there is no better time to visit this museum than springtime or summer. The neighborhood and the view from that hill is surely the most beautiful in this time of the year. Although my flatmate and I both have been living here for many years now, we have never been in this side of Buda so it was a real adventure to visit the theater museum.





The museum is in a villa that once belonged to the famous Hungarian theater actress, Gizi Bajor. She was performing in the first half of the 20th century and was considered one of the best of her generation. After her tragic death the villa was soon transformed into a theater museum, displaying her relics, photos and giving place to exhibitions about the history of Hungarian theater, ballet, or the most successful plays.

Almost every room of the two-story villa was turned into exhibitions halls, with the permanent exhibitions on the first floor and the temporary ones on the ground floor. I forgot to count but there were at least 10 big rooms so there is a lot to see for sure. Each hall is themed of course. On the ground floor visitors can see lots of old photos; turn of the century  props used by famous performers on stage; old, handwritten playbooks; or personal letters such as the one written by Gizi Bajor to her mother, telling her about the premiere of her new play. I especially love old, handwritten letters so it was as if I opened a treasure chest.





My only problem with this museum was the lack of translation to foreign visitors.  Although there were several printed versions of the information boards in English, the titles of pictures and most of the text was in Hungarian only. Also, the video and audio files with the contemporaries of Gizi Bajor are also in Hungarian. However, I would still recommend this museum to foreign tourists, simply because the collection displayed is invaluable, the atmosphere is gripping, and honestly, even I, a Hungarian did not know many of the actors or theater directors mentioned. Thankfully, the visuals are the most important part of the exhibitions so if you take a Hungarian friend who might assist you with a little translation, the experience can still be great.

It is not easy to describe the strange, nostalgic atmosphere present in the villa. But my favorite thing about this time travel experience was how differently it made me think about theater. I do love theater but the theater portrayed in this museum was much more special. Everything about the theater of those old days seems so sublime; it was a time when actors and actresses were regarded as real artists, in the literal meaning of the word, unlike today. 





My problem with these reviews is that I cannot spoil the fun  so it is impossible to share too many details, even though I would love to boast about how perfect these exhibitions were. So I will only list my favorite parts:

- the collection of photos with every single actress who has played Jeanne d'Arc since the performance of Gizi Bajor

- the exhibition hall with the ballet theme where I could try some ballet positions.

- the astonishingly detailed maquettes of the stage sets and the room with the small stage were I could pretend to be an actress 

- the characteristic bow-tie of the funniest Hungarian comic, Kálmán Latabár ( he is the funniest for me at least)

- the death-mask of Gizi Bajor (as creepy as it sounds, there was something beautiful about it)







After the visit, if time allows, I recommend everyone to stay and  sit on a bench in the garden, enjoy the view. To make the best of the day we did not head straight home but decided to wander around Buda a little, which turned out to be a great idea. Our last stop was the Lánchíd Restaurant and Pub, which was a kind of perfect finish of our time travel experience. It is a classic rock themed pub so from the 1950's of the theater world we were transported to the 1960's. Also, the Melange is great there, not to mention the cheerful staff.

Tickets: 400 HUF for students, 800 HUF for adults


Gizi Bajor Theater Museum
1124 Budapest, 16 Stromfeld Aurél Street 
Thursdays-Sundays: 2pm-6pm

http://www.bajorgizi.hu/ (scroll down for the English version)


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Random Tips, Experiences, and My Unwritten Rules of Museum Visiting

By | Published 4/07/2013

After a sneaky virus unexpectedly made my whole week a living hell, I was unable to travel back to Budapest and do my weekly museum visit. But fear not dear readers, because I still have plenty of wisdom to share.

Small Museums

Why do people miss out on the small, fun museums of Budapest?

Lack of Promotion - Either we are tourists or native Hungarians, advertisements and wallpapers of big exhibitions are practically shoved in our faces. On the other hand, people have no idea that certain museums exist unless they are hardcore museum fetishists, or they accidentally read/hear about them somewhere. This is the reason why Project culTOUR came to being - to provide information for adventurous foreigners ready to explore every museum in Budapest.

Distance - Sad but true, people can be lazy. The big elite museums are mostly located in the city center, while the lesser known museums are usually further away from downtown. One of the best museum experiences I have had was The Hungarian Railway Museum, which was quite difficult to get to, but once I was there and I could hop on the Orient Express, then sit on an authentic steam-hauled train I did not want to leave at all. Accept the challenge of finding those hidden, little museums - one can always count on Google maps and if there is no wifi available, an old school map will not disappoint either.

Empty Museums - One might get the impression that if a museum is not crowded, it cannot be good. This is just silly. In the Telephone Museum, me and my friend were the only visitors, but we had so much fun that I would gladly visit again. Besides, with no crowd comes more fresh air, less noise, and a better view at the objects on display.
In fact, the best thing about being the only visitor is to have the guide or museum assistant at your service; the staff at small museums can be very enthusiastic and eager to share everything there is to know about the museum, its history or the exhibitions. Granted, I once met an overenthusiastic museum assistant who talked way too much but she also gave me a beautiful greeting card for free so there is a flip side to everything. Sometimes even the owner of a collection or the descendant of an artist works in the museum and you can casually talk to them, which is not something that happens often in popular museums.


Tickets

I have recently discovered that while some museums give discounts to students, others offer discounts only for those between the age 6 and 26. If you are a student older than 26, make sure you always check the criteria to avoid surprises. In addition, some museums guarantee free admission for those under 26 on certain days, for example on every last Saturday of a month. Always check these special offers on the internet before you leave home, as the staff in the museum might forget to inform you about them.

Museum Shops

If there is a museum shop, however small it is, one cannot leave without purchasing a reminder of their visit. As a rule, I always buy a greeting card in every museum, and I use the tickets as bookmarks. Throughout the years I have collected so many, that I am thinking about creating a montage of them to put in a frame; it is a nice memento and more personal than any painting or photo bought in a shop.

Warning: Beware the occasional elderly museum shop assistant who can be particularly eager to sell you a book you do not really need.

Couples

I can be a very tolerant person but there is one thing I cannot stand when it comes to my museum visits and I am sure that many others agree: couples making out at exhibitions. In theory it is indeed romantic to go to a museum with our special someone. However, a lot of people find it irritating when they try to look at a beautiful piece of art but a passionately kissing couple inside their field of vision spoils the experience. I am all for young love but I have been to exhibitions with boyfriends and it is actually possible to focus on the art. Another argument for small museums: so far I have not met any annoying couples during my visits, unlike in crowded museums.

Museum Café

If there is a Café in the museum, sit down and drink an espresso or latte with your friends before/after the exhibition. A nice cup of coffee is part of the fun! We are no longer in elementary school; we go to museums because we are interested, and we want to enjoy it, so let us make the best of the experience. 

Interactive Museums

If there is an interactive part of the exhibition, one should never leave without trying it. These opportunities are not to be missed; they are for entertainment, to make the visit memorable and a better experience. Do not think it is silly to dress up in kimonos or make phone calls to each other with 100 years old telephones; these are the things one remembers 20 years later, not the dates and names written on the information boards.


Last but not least, do not take it personally if the coat checkroom attendants happen to be grumpy when you visit; keep smiling and carry on, they are probably having a bad day.



I will be back with a review on the Gizi Bajor Theatre Museum next Sunday, stay tuned!




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György Ráth Asiatic Museum

By | Published 3/31/2013


We Hungarians have always been interested in Oriental arts, probably due to the fact that our ancestors themselves were of Eastern origin. In the nineteenth century, many travelers set out to discover the East and those wealthy enough returned with beautiful artifacts from their exotic journeys. However, it was not until Ferenc Hopp's museum (the first one in Hungary that was dedicated to Oriental arts) that private collectors had become interested in displaying their treasures for the whole world to see. The György Ráth Museum was founded with the purpose of housing exhibitions on Asian arts, assembling and presenting the collections of generous Hungarian travelers or specialists who had worked abroad. (The two story villa once belonged to Görgy Ráth, the first director of the Museum of Applied Arts.)




I would like to confess that I was a bit worried before visiting these last two Asiatic museums. I half expected the exhibitions only displaying a few objects that travelers purchased as souvenirs, however, these collections turned out to include exquisite pieces of art, which is impressive. There are artifacts of amazing craftsmanship on display here, objects of great value from many dynasties of Asian history, and some of them are estimated to be more than 2000 years old. While the Ferenc Hopp museum emphasizes on the customes of Asian cultures, the exhibitions here highlight Oriental art itself, dedicating separate rooms for purchases of the most generous donors and artifacts collected in different countries. Each themed exhibition room includes information boards with elaborate descriptions for those who crave some new oriental knowledge. I especially liked these boards because they include fascinating details about the donors, their fields of interest, or the origins of the artifacts on show.






Exhibition Rooms


The Ferenc Hopp Memorial Room provides some trivia on the wealthy traveler and his interest toward the Oriental and decorative arts. Visitors can also see the most beautiful pieces of his rich collection, such as ornamented bronze artifacts or gorgeous ivory carvings. In the Károly Csapek Memorial Room Buddhist-related Sino-Tibetan and Chinese sculptures (15th - 19th century) are in focus. Imre Schwaiger is called the discoverer and patron of Nepalese art and in his memorial room there are, among other things, outstanding gold sculptures on display. The György Ráth Memorial Room (which was once the dining room of the villa) is stocked with luxurious furniture, textiles, as well as beautiful pieces of Oriental and European ceramics.

The next big exhibition hall is dedicated completely to Indian art and it presents the collections of several donors. Through the artifacts presented, visitors can get a glimpse into the most significant periods of Indian art. The emphasis of the next exhibition room is Japan and it presents mainly the purchases of Peter Vay, a priest who travelled to numerous countries to visit Catholic missions; this room was one of my favorites!



Other rooms focus on particular periods and manufactures: funerary ceramics; architectural ceramics, ceramics retrieved from the seabed by underwater archeologists; blue-and-white porcelain, the art of colors - ceramics from the Ching period; and the European trades of Chinese porcelain. By the way, the porcelain collection of the museum is truly amazing, and a native Asian family visiting at the same time as me apparently thought so too; they were in awe and could not stop discussing the gorgeous china in front of them.

I know I tend to get excited about insignificant details, but I must admit that it was a real thrill for me (the movie geek) to finally see vases from the Ming dynasty in person; so many films include scenes where sophisticated people carefully examine and discuss the beauty of ceramic masterpieces from this period (1368-1644) and when I saw Chinese porcelain on display here, I finally understood the appeal.

I went to visit this museum alone, and although I usually like to take companions to share the fun and discuss everything,  it turned out to be a great experience; it was refreshing to be able to proceed at my own pace (sometimes in a reverse order), and return to a previous room to reread something or look at an exquisite ivory craving one more time, for instance. Therefore, I sincerely encourage everyone to visit museums alone occasionally. If someone cannot or will not come along, we should still not miss the fun, in fact it may be surprisingly liberating and at the same time, intellectually satisfying.



Tips:

- If visitors go to the Ferenc Hopp and the György Ráth Museums on the same day, a discounted, combined ticket can be purchased (800 HUF for students and 1800 HUF for adults)


György Ráth Museum
Friday-Sunday: 10 am-6 pm
1068 Budapest, 12 Városligeti fasor

http://www.imm.hu/hu/contents/hoppmuzeum 

(Please scroll down to find the information on this museum. Please note that the English version of the official website is not yet available, however, should you need any additional information about the museum, please leave a comment)


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