Budapest’s Museum of Fine Arts throws open the doors to Ancient China with a special guided tour series anchored by The Guardians of Eternity, a sweeping exhibition built around one of the world’s most famous archaeological finds: the Terracotta Army and the age of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Spanning more than half a millennium of traditions, religion, and daily life, the show moves beyond the emperor’s legacy to explore the objects, rituals, and craftsmanship that shaped early imperial China. Step in for a close encounter with a civilization that still stuns with its scale and detail.
Dates, place, and booking
The core guided program runs January 30–February 1, 2026, at the Museum of Fine Arts, 1146 Budapest, Dózsa György Road (Dózsa György út) 41. Additional tour dates: February 3; February 5–8; February 10; February 12–15; February 17; February 19–22; February 24; February 26–March 1. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before your tour.
What the guided tour covers
Across the galleries, visitors trace the rise of the First Emperor and the discovery that shook 20th-century archaeology: thousands of clay soldiers standing guard over his tomb. Expect an in-depth look at empire-building, weapons, funerary beliefs, and the uniquely modeled ranks of the Terracotta Army—each soldier with individual features that bring an ancient military machine to life.
Prices, headsets, and group size
Standard guided tour price: about $4.10 per person, plus a valid exhibition ticket. Maximum group size is 18, and tours run 60 minutes. Tours use tour-guide audio devices; pick up receivers and headsets in the Marble Hall. Headsets are disinfected after every use. Want to use your own earbuds? Tell the staff.
Curators’ tours: deep-dive sessions
Meet the experts behind the show. Curator Dr. Györgyi Fajcsák and co-curator Judit Bagi lead special one-hour walkthroughs of one of the most spectacular archaeological collections on view. They spotlight everyday life in the First Emperor’s era, the structure of the empire, military technologies, and the secrets of imperial tombs from the Qin and Han dynasties.
Curator-led dates: February 4 (Dr. Fajcsák), February 18 (Dr. Fajcsák), March 11 (Dr. Fajcsák), March 18 (Bagi), March 25 (Dr. Fajcsák), April 1 (Bagi).
Tickets for curator tours
Full-price ticket: about $22.70, including exhibition entry and the guided tour. Discount ticket: about $13.40 for visitors entitled to at least a 50% exhibition discount. Arrive 20 minutes early. Audio devices and disinfected headsets are provided in the Marble Hall; you can use your own headphones—just let the team know.
