Aeropark is a place you’d never stumble across unless you happened to be fascinated by the hum of engines and the stories of flight. Sitting just over the fences of Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Aeropark is no ordinary aviation museum. Here, aircraft that once dominated the skies and shaped Hungarian aviation history have found a delightful afterlife. The planes, meticulously restored, stand like proud steel birds on a grassy field, some with steps inviting curious passengers aboard, where you can poke around cockpits, flip switches, and imagine the yesteryears of hungarian air travel.
What sets Aeropark apart from many other aviation museums is the hands-on approach. Visitors aren’t just looking at exhibits through glass—they’re stepping into the actual cabins of classic Tupolev, Antonov, and Ilyushin aircraft, many of which have flown decades ago for Malév Hungarian Airlines, Hungary’s flag carrier until its emotional closure in 2012. Each time you climb the narrow steps of a Tupolev Tu-154 or peek into the analogue cockpit of an old Antonov, you’re taking a momentary leap back to the jet age. The museum’s volunteers—often retired pilots and maintenance engineers—are usually happy to tell stories of when these planes were in their prime, sometimes even offering guided cockpit tours littered with anecdotes you’d never find in a guidebook.
Walking among these graceful giants, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the nostalgia and history that envelop the museum. The legendary L-410 Turbolet, still fondly remembered by many in Central Europe, sits near the iconic blue-and-white livery of Malév, evoking a time when air travel had a touch of romance. Exhibits include Soviet-designed airliners, quirky little Yak-40s, hulking cargo planes, and helicopters like the Mil Mi-2, giving an impressive cross-section of aviation technology that defined Eastern Europe’s skies from the Cold War up to modern days. Don’t miss the old Soviet airport bus—kids and adults alike always seem to enjoy a quick hop aboard, pretending they’re heading out to the runway for an adventure.
While the static aircraft are the main attraction, Aeropark’s programming is equally compelling. Depending on when you visit, you might stumble upon an evening “open cockpit” event, where floodlights illuminate the planes and visitors can wander through otherwise inaccessible aircraft in the twilight hours. Aviation-themed family days, interactive technical demonstrations, and heritage reenactments take place throughout the season, always putting the focus on learning through touch and personal interaction. It’s the rare place where you can chat with someone who once piloted these aircraft or kept their engines running across Europe and beyond.
If you time your visit right (hint: check out their schedule each summer!), you might witness one of the unforgettable “engine start” demonstrations. There’s a unique thrill to feeling the earth rumble as a decades-old turboprop roars into life, spinning up its propellers and belching clouds that whisper of legendary journeys. And let’s not overlook the setting: being so close to the international airport means that, all day long, modern airliners thunder overhead, providing a spectacular living timeline from the museum’s vintage planes to the jets of today.
Even those who aren’t avgeeks will find something to enjoy, from sprawling picnic lawns to photo opportunities galore, especially during golden hour when the sun paints these cold war icons in a soft glow. For a quirky, informative, and tactile dive into Hungary’s rich aviation heritage, Aeropark is a must-see, tucked just off the usual tourist path but rich in atmosphere—and stories you won’t find anywhere else in the country.
