Dive into the Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria) collections on focused, small-group tours spanning medieval devotion, avant-garde revolutions, and the timeless allure of the human body—plus a Valentine’s Day journey through artists’ great loves. All tours meet at the information desk and run 60 minutes.
“Embroidered in Concrete” — Rita Halász’s Personal Tour
January 31, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Writer and art historian Rita Halász leads a deeply personal walk through the collection that shaped her novel Betonba hímezve (Embroidered in Concrete). She recalls museum life as a “privileged state,” where artworks became part of her everyday—almost family. Her affection centers on the Gothic rooms: old-man-faced baby Jesuses, S-shaped Madonnas with hollowed backs, those tender, often smile-inducing solutions where medieval masters’ human frailty peeks through. Her favorite weary pilgrim from Zalaszentgrót rests at a mountain’s foot. Just as vital to her is the contemporary wing: El Kazovszkij’s wandering animal, Gyula Pauer’s split Maya, and Mariann Imre’s Saint Cecilia—her most powerful museum experience. Without these works, she says, neither the book nor she herself would be the same. Maximum 24 people.
The Eight (Nyolcak)
February 1, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Linked to the Lajos Tihanyi career show, this tour unpacks the short, seismic life of The Eight (Nyolcak). Debuting as the “Seekers,” the group worked together for just three years—1909 to 1912—staging three joint exhibitions. Their impact jolted Hungary’s cultural and visual arts scene like a scientific and technological revolution. Maximum 17 people.
The Most Beautiful Hungarian Paintings of Love
February 14, 2026, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
A Valentine’s Day trail of artists and muses—ecstatic and tender, stormy and tragic—through works by Pál Szinyei Merse (Szinyei Merse Pál), János Vaszary (Vaszary János), and Róbert Berény (Berény Róbert). Maximum 20 people.
Nude Sculptures from the Turn of the Century
February 22, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
The nude—one of art’s oldest themes—shifts with each era’s ideals. Explore the refreshed exhibition of 19th–20th-century nude sculptures with a guided tour. Maximum 20 people.
Tickets and Access
Participation requires a permanent exhibition ticket and a tour program ticket priced at 1500 HUF. Tours meet at the information desk. Duration: 60 minutes each. The photo is protected by the copyright of the Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery.
