The Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest is rolling out a packed calendar of guided tours in Hungarian and English across its permanent and temporary exhibitions, spotlighting the evolution of Hungarian fine art. Located at 2 Saint George Square (Szent György tér 2) in Buda Castle, the museum invites visitors to dive deep into bold modernism, classic masters, and special curator-led walks. Photos are protected under the copyright of the Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery. Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs. Phone contact is encouraged for details and bookings.
January Highlights: Tihanyi in Focus
January is all about Lajos Tihanyi, the restless dandy of Hungarian modernism, whose energetic colors and edgy forms shaped the avant-garde. The tour Rebel Forms, Bold Colors – The Art of Lajos Tihanyi runs repeatedly on:
– 2026.01.23., Budapest
– 2026.01.29., Budapest
– 2026.01.31., Budapest
Another standout on 2026.01.31. is Embroidered in Concrete – writer Rita Halász’s subjective guided tour, a personal, narrative-led walk through the displays. Expect literature-meets-visual-art storytelling and a fresh take on the collection.
February: From Budapest to Berlin to Paris
February widens the lens. On 2026.02.05., Lajos Tihanyi, the Restless Charmer brings two acclaimed cultural guides, Nora Winkler (Winkler Nóra) and Tunde Topor (Topor Tünde), for a charismatic, in-depth tour. On 2026.02.06., writer and art historian Rita Halász leads Budapest–Berlin–Paris: Lajos Tihanyi’s Road to Abstraction, tracing Tihanyi’s migration of style and ideas across European art capitals. On 2026.02.07., a tour of Adolf Fényes’s art anchors the period’s realism and light-saturated painterly poetics. More Tihanyi tours continue on 2026.02.08., keeping the modernist momentum alive.
More Exhibitions: From Night Visits to a 140th Anniversary
The late 2025 and early 2026 season stacks up with major temporary shows:
– 2025.11.06. – 2026.03.01.: Endre Tót: Night Visit to the Museum
– 2025.11.21. – 2026.02.15.: TIHANYI 140. Lajos Tihanyi (1885–1938) Retrospective
These exhibitions frame the guided programs, offering deep access to a giant of Hungarian modernism while spotlighting Endre Tót’s conceptual wit and nocturnal museum musings.
Workshops, Families, and Accessible Tours
The Gallery’s program is designed for all ages and interests:
– 2026.01.21.: Color It Anew! – museum workshop for kids
– 2026.01.21.: Mental Fitness – New Year, New Style
– 2026.01.22.: Online guided tour of the Tihanyi exhibition
– 2026.01.24.: Adventure in the Gallery – Strange Faces, plus the lecture Two or None: Doublings and Hiatuses in Lajos Tihanyi’s Oeuvre by art historian Gergely Barki
– 2026.01.25.: Rebel Forms, Bold Colors – with sign language interpretation
– 2026.01.27.: Toddlers – Snowflake Dance
– 2026.01.28.: Color It Anew! – museum workshop for kids
– 2026.01.29.: Rebel Forms, Bold Colors and Mama, Look! – The Silence Speaks
– 2026.01.31.: Embroidered in Concrete – Rita Halász’s subjective tour, plus another Rebel Forms, Bold Colors session
February continues the family-friendly flow:
– 2026.02.01.: The Eight – pre-announced guided tour
– 2026.02.05.: Lajos Tihanyi, the Restless Charmer (Nora Winkler & Tunde Topor)
– 2026.02.05.: Mama, Look! – The Beauty of the Body
– 2026.02.06.: Budapest–Berlin–Paris: Tihanyi’s Road to Abstraction (Rita Halász)
– 2026.02.07.: Rebel Forms, Bold Colors; Create! – Naked Reality; and The Art of Adolf Fényes
– 2026.02.08.: Building Walk – From Crypt to Dome, plus Rebel Forms, Bold Colors
– 2026.02.10.: Toddlers – Venetian Carnival
– 2026.02.13.: Guided tour in Italian (visita guidata in italiano)
– 2026.02.14.: Love Is in the Air
Where to Stay: Castle District Classics
If you’re traveling in for these tours, the Castle District is rich with places to stay:
– A 4-star boutique hotel at the foot of Buda Castle, right on the Danube, with panoramic rooms. It’s a 10-minute walk to Buda Castle, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion—UNESCO World Heritage sites. The nearby Chain Bridge drops you into Pest’s business quarter, shopping streets, cafés, and wine bars.
– Buda Castle Hotel sits on a quiet side street of the World Heritage-listed Castle Quarter, near major sights, with cultural and culinary highlights within arm’s reach.
– Budavár Panzió places you right by Fisherman’s Bastion and steps from Matthias Church in the UNESCO zone.
– Gold Hotel Budapest offers strong value in the center, with air conditioning, LCD TV, minibar, hairdryer, and free Wi‑Fi.
– Hilton Budapest blends modern interiors with a 13th-century Dominican cloister. The Dominicans’ Courtyard hosts open-air events, while rooms gaze out over the Danube, bridges, Margaret Island, Parliament, Pest’s grand facades, and the Buda Hills.
– Hotel Castle Garden**** stands at the Castle District’s gate, near Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Buda Castle.
– Hotel Charles is for green surroundings, tasty food, and cozy rooms.
– Hotel Clark Budapest, a boutique stay by the Széchenyi Chain Bridge on the Buda riverbank, frames the river and Castle with cinematic views.
– Maison Bistro & Hotel salutes the site’s culinary past with a warm bistro, event cellar, street terrace, and 25 uniquely designed rooms around a courtyard garden.
Where to Eat and Sip
Within the Castle and nearby riverside, you’ll find:
– 21 Hungarian Kitchen (21 A Magyar Vendéglő): old-school Hungarian flavors updated for today—lighter, faithful, and satisfying.
– Specialty coffee by Goosebumps, Zhao Zhou teas, raw, vegan, and gluten-free cakes, cold-pressed juices, and ice cream.
– Reinvented Hungarian classics with quality wines in historic walls in the heart of the Castle District.
– Angelika: more than a café—an international restaurant with Hungarian vibes, famed for homemade desserts and specialty coffees. Seats 350 guests, with 200 on a Danube-view terrace.
– Golden Barrel Restaurant (Arany Hordó Étterem): once the royal cup-bearer’s residence; the stone-cellar wine tavern branches from the 500-year-old Buda Labyrinth, offering tastings and dinners by candlelight.
– Arany Kaviár: over two decades in fine dining, marrying czarist grandeur with modern elegance. Recommended by the Michelin Guide since 2009; one chef’s hat in Gault Millau since 2010.
– Arriba Taqueria: Budapest’s gourmet Mexican chain—fresh, fast, friendly.
– Art bistro-bar on Bem Embankment (Bem rakpart): international cuisine and bistro-bar staples.
– The first Belgian beer house in Budapest, also on Bem Embankment (Bem rakpart), with a summer terrace and hearty pub fare.
Plan Your Visit
Programs run across January and February 2026, with some events online or in Italian. Family sessions, toddler mornings, accessible tours with sign language, architecture walks from crypt to dome, and deep dives into modernism mean there’s a fit for every kind of culture fan. Check dates, call ahead, and pencil it in—Budapest’s National Gallery is throwing open the doors to its boldest ideas.
