The Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest is opening its doors to a sweeping guided tour series that dives into more than a millennium of Chinese history, with the legendary Terracotta Army and the age of China’s first emperor at its heart. Titled The Guardians of Eternity, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the world around Qin Shi Huang, whose vast mausoleum, guarded by thousands of life-size clay soldiers, became one of the 20th century’s most striking archaeological discoveries. Beyond the emperor’s legacy, the route through the galleries draws out half a millennium of rituals, religious traditions, and everyday life in ancient China through its objects and stories. It’s a rare chance to get startlingly close to a distant past—right in Budapest, at Dózsa György út 41.
The program runs across multiple dates from late January to early March 2026, with further specialist tours continuing into April. Standard guided tours are offered to small groups, making the experience focused and conversational, while curator-led tours add a scholarly lens to one of the world’s most spectacular archaeological narratives.
When to Go
The first wave of guided tours runs January 30–February 1, 2026, followed by a broad set of additional dates: February 3; February 5–8; February 10; February 12–15; February 17; February 19–22; February 24; and February 26–March 1. Further sessions are also listed on March 11, March 18, March 25, and April 1, all in Budapest.
Each standard tour lasts 60 minutes. Arrival is required at least 20 minutes before the start at the Museum of Fine Arts to allow time for check-in and audio gear pickup.
What You’ll See
The exhibition anchors itself in the dawn of imperial China under Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor, whose unification of the Warring States reset the course of East Asian history. The famed Terracotta Army—individually modeled warriors created to defend the emperor in the afterlife—serves as the show’s magnetic center. As visitors move through the galleries, they trace how objects reveal broader patterns: the architecture of empire, court life and military organization, belief systems, funerary practices, and daily routines that evolved from the Qin into the Han dynasty and beyond. By pairing intimate artifacts with the Terracotta Army’s monumental scale, the exhibition brings both the human and imperial dimensions of antiquity into view.
How the Tours Work
Standard tours are capped at a maximum of 18 people, ensuring close attention from guides and space to linger at key pieces. The price for the guided program is 1,500 HUF per person, plus a valid exhibition ticket. Converted, that’s approximately $4.16 for the program, to be purchased on top of the entry fee.
Tours use tour-guide devices to keep audio clear without crowding. Receivers and headsets are distributed in the Marble Hall, and every headset is disinfected after use. Prefer to bring your own earbuds? Let staff know on arrival and they’ll accommodate you.
Curators on the Floor
On select dates, the curators themselves take the lead. Dr. Györgyi Fajcsák, curator of The Guardians of Eternity, and co-curator Judit Bagi guide visitors through the period’s objects, stories, and the newest insights into imperial tombs. The curatorial tours dive deeper into the organization of Qin Shi Huang’s empire, the technology of weaponry, and the artistry behind the uniquely modeled terracotta soldiers—no two the same. They also open up the secrets of Qin and Han dynasty imperial burials, decoding symbolism and ritual practice along the way.
Curator tour dates and hosts:
– February 4: Dr. Györgyi Fajcsák, 16:15–17:15
– February 18: Dr. Györgyi Fajcsák
– March 11: Dr. Györgyi Fajcsák
– March 18: Judit Bagi
– March 25: Dr. Györgyi Fajcsák
– April 1: Judit Bagi
Tickets and Access
For the curator-led sessions, a full-price ticket is 8,300 HUF (about $22.99), which includes both the exhibition entry and the guided tour. A discounted ticket at 4,900 HUF (about $13.56) is available for visitors who qualify for at least a 50% discount on exhibition admission. As with the standard tours, plan to arrive 20 minutes early to collect your audio device and settle in before the group sets off.
All tours are conducted with guide devices and headsets, distributed in the Marble Hall. Headsets are disinfected after every use, and you can request to use your own earphones instead.
Where It Happens
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
1146 Budapest, Dózsa György út 41.
The photographic material is under the copyright of the Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery.
Stay Nearby
If you’re visiting from out of town or making a weekend of it, there are multiple accommodation options in the city’s event district near Puskás Ferenc Stadium and Papp László Budapest Sports Arena (Papp László Sportaréna). Several hotels highlight freshly renovated, air-conditioned rooms with a Mediterranean vibe and easy access to sports and event venues. Some properties feature fitness rooms with modern equipment, pools in Fit Zone areas, and saunas for post-museum unwinding. The Green Hotel Budapest stands steps from the M2 metro (about 328 feet), with spacious rooms styled to evoke the calm of nature and function rooms suitable for meetings or family gatherings.
For a quieter stay, Hotel Amadeus sits in the leafy Zugló district, just a few kilometers from the city center and Hungexpo. It offers 39 comfortable rooms, a panoramic restaurant with a garden area, conference spaces, and a cozy beer bar, plus a secure underground garage. There are also family-run options roughly 3 km from downtown near City Park (Városliget), offering rooms with TV, free Wi‑Fi, and private bathrooms. Some include a drink bar, a Finnish sauna, and an eight-person hot tub, and can arrange Hungarian, Italian, and Chinese specialties for groups of up to 40 on request.
Whether you’re in it for the Terracotta Army’s awe or the quiet thrill of decoding ancient rituals, Budapest’s The Guardians of Eternity delivers a vivid, guided bridge into China’s earliest empire—no long-haul flight required.
