Step into the Csók István Gallery and you’ll find a refreshingly offbeat exhibition: 150 years of the King Saint Stephen Museum (Szent István Király Múzeum)’s history, told through bizarre objects, outrageous stories, and eccentric personalities you simply won’t meet anywhere else in Hungary. Over 300 artifacts are on display, along with themed sections, a short animated film, vintage posters, archival photos, press clippings, and an interactive guestbook. The collections revel in the unusual and rarely seen, proving that history is often stranger than fiction. Prepare to marvel at a “sensational” centaur bone, an erotic ancient cookie mold, and the legendary dachshund hat pin, as well as a deformed skull and objects rescued from the city dump.
One Museum’s Journey: King Saint Stephen’s (Szent István Király) First 150 Years
Through these curious artifacts, stories unfold: Sándor Weöres taking a siesta in a sarcophagus, the mystery of Csontváry in 1963, the griffin chick skeleton, and a centaur bone discovery that feels straight out of mythology. There’s the epic odyssey of a stone axe, a ghostly Indonesian dagger, the infamous stolen gold medals, and a deformed skull whose story both provokes and disturbs. The collection even highlights an infamous tobacco pouch made from a goat scrotum, a viper fat jar, Linda (from the iconic Hungarian crime show) investigating the museum, and the unique use of an Ikarus bus windshield in 1972. And yes, you’ll glimpse the handwriting of János Pilinszky—alongside the night watchman’s diary and a host of treasures rescued from the brink of oblivion.
The Museum: At the Heart of Székesfehérvár’s (Fehérvár) Identity
A museum is a defining landmark for any city, and in Székesfehérvár (Fehérvár), this rings especially true. When the museum’s forerunner was founded 150 years ago, it marked an era when city leaders saw culture and collective memory as the keys to a golden civic age. They believed in the power of community spirit and local pride to shape Fejér County’s future, and the museum became a hub for bringing people together—not just to look backward, but to forge a shared identity.
Culture Connects: More Than Just Dusty Relics
The King Saint Stephen Museum’s (Szent István Király Múzeum) mission has always been to serve the people. It’s a place for strengthening identity, preserving values, supporting the arts, promoting public learning, education, and sparking curiosity. The current exhibit does exactly that, inviting you to explore Székesfehérvár’s (Fehérvár) quirks—the things that set it apart from all other Hungarian museums. The displays reflect the dynamic interplay of objects, stories, and people; they revive long-lost personal and collective memories.
A Kaleidoscope of Curiosities—Open Until November
Visitors can explore the 150-year journey by strolling among archaeological, ethnographic, fine art, and local history selections—each chosen for its oddity, its allure, or simply because you won’t find it anywhere else. The exhibition space itself becomes a shifting, colorful kaleidoscope, offering a fresh look at how objects and people give meaning to one another. You have until November 9, 2025, to dive into this cabinet of curiosities, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1 Béla Bartók Square.
