The Hungarian National Gallery is lining up bilingual guided tours across its permanent and temporary exhibitions from late 2025 into early 2026, opening up fresh ways to dive into the story of Hungarian art. Set at Szent György Square 2 inside Buda Castle, the country’s largest public collection documenting the birth and evolution of the visual arts is leading themed walks in Hungarian and English, with special programs, curator talks, and even writer-led detours. Booking and details are available by phone; images are under the copyright of the Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery.
When and Where
Dates start Sunday, December 28, 2025, and stretch into February 2026. Many tours center on the temporary retrospectives that dominate the season—especially TIHANYI 140, celebrating the life and work of the painter Lajos Tihanyi (1885–1938)—while others spotlight Adolf Fényes’s lyrical realism, turn-of-the-century nude sculpture, and architecture-focused walks. Everything unfolds in Budapest, within the Hungarian National Gallery’s historic halls atop Castle Hill.
Spotlight: Lajos Tihanyi’s Radical Palette
Lázadó formák, merész színek – Tihanyi Lajos művészete (Rebellious Forms, Bold Colors – The Art of Lajos Tihanyi) is the season’s headline guided tour, repeated on multiple dates:
– 2025.12.28–12.30
– 2026.01.09, 01.11, 01.17, 01.23, 01.29, 01.31
Alongside, TIHANYI 140. Tihanyi Lajos (1885–1938) életmű-kiállítása (oeuvre exhibition) runs 2025.11.21–2026.02.15, and a special curator tour, TIHANYI 140. Gergely Mariann kurátor tárlatvezetése (curator Mariann Gergely’s guided tour), takes place on 2026.01.15. There’s an online tour of the Tihanyi exhibition on 2026.01.22, plus an art historian’s lecture by Gergely Barki—Kettő vagy egy sem. Duplázások és hiátusok Tihanyi Lajos életművében (Double Takes and Gaps in Tihanyi’s Oeuvre)—on 2026.01.24. On 2026.01.25, the Tihanyi tour is made accessible with sign language interpretation.
Adolf Fényes and the Art of Quiet
A csend képei. Fényes Adolf (1867–1945) emlékkiállítás (Images of Silence. Adolf Fényes Memorial Exhibition) runs 2025.10.10–2026.01.11, with a dedicated guided tour, Fényes Adolf művészete (The Art of Adolf Fényes), on 2026.01.10. Expect intimate interiors, soft light, and the hush that made Fényes a master of mood.
New Ways to See: Curators, Writers, and More
Beyond standard tours, the calendar bristles with personal and thematic angles:
– Az ember a paletta mögött | Barki Gergely tárlatvezetése (The Person Behind the Palette | Guided Tour by Gergely Barki), 2026.01.16.
– Betonba hímezve – Halász Rita író szubjektív tárlatvezetése (Embroidered in Concrete – Subjective Tour by writer Rita Halász), 2026.01.17 and 01.31.
– Aktszobrok a századfordulóról (Nude Sculptures from the Turn of the Century), 2026.01.18.
These programs blend scholarship with storytelling, bringing human context and contemporary sensibilities into the gallery rooms.
Kids, Families, and Hands-On Sessions
The gallery doesn’t forget its youngest visitors. Activities include:
– Színezd újra! – múzeumi műhely gyerekeknek (Recolor It! – Museum Workshop for Kids), 2026.01.07, 01.14, 01.21, 01.28.
– Look at that, Mom! – Sunny Days, 2026.01.08.
– Mama, nézd! – A csend beszél (Mom, Look! – Silence Speaks), 2026.01.15, 01.29.
– Tipegők – Hópihe tánc (Toddlers – Snowflake Dance), 2026.01.13, 01.27.
– Kaland a Galériában – Különös arcok (Adventure at the Gallery – Curious Faces), 2026.01.24.
– Alkoss! – Absztrakt élményfestés (Create! – Abstract Experience Painting), 2026.01.17.
There’s also a visita guidata in italiano on 2026.01.09, adding an Italian-language option.
Architecture and Night Moves
Architecture buffs get Épületséta – Kriptától a kupoláig (Building Walk – From Crypt to Dome) on 2026.01.03, a chance to explore the building’s dramatic spaces. Conceptual art fans can catch Tót Endre: Éjszakai látogatás a múzeumban (Endre Tót: Night Visit at the Museum), on view 2025.11.06–2026.03.01, with its wry, after-hours humor and conceptual edge.
February Sneak Peek
On 2026.02.01, Nyolcak – Előre meghirdetett tárlatvezetés (The Eight – Scheduled Guided Tour) spotlights the early 20th-century group that jolted Hungarian modernism with European avant-garde currents.
Planning Your Visit
Most programs unfold in Budapest at the Hungarian National Gallery. Key runs:
– TIHANYI 140. Lajos Tihanyi oeuvre exhibition: 2025.11.21–2026.02.15.
– A csend képei. Fényes Adolf memorial exhibition: 2025.10.10–2026.01.11.
– Tót Endre: Éjszakai látogatás a múzeumban: 2025.11.06–2026.03.01.
The layered schedule makes it easy to build a themed day: pair a Tihanyi tour with a curator talk, tack on an architecture walk, or slot in a kids’ workshop. Phone lines are open for details and booking; tours are offered in Hungarian and English unless noted otherwise.
Stay Nearby
The Castle District clusters with accommodations. Panoramic four-star boutique hotels line the Danube’s Buda bank, a 10-minute walk from Buda Castle, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion—UNESCO World Heritage icons—with the Chain Bridge linking across to Pest’s business quarter, shopping streets, cafés, and wine bars. Nearby, Buda Castle Hotel sits on a quiet side street of the World Heritage-listed district (since 1987), while Budavár Panzió places you right by Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. For value, Gold Hotel Budapest offers air-conditioned rooms with LCD TV, minibar, hairdryer, and free Wi‑Fi. Hilton Budapest, embedded within medieval Dominican cloister remains, frames sweeping views of the Danube, bridges, Margaret Island, Parliament, downtown Pest’s grand façades, and the Buda Hills—its Dominican Courtyard a favorite for open-air events and weddings.
How to Join
Pick your date, language, and theme—from Rebellious Forms, Bold Colors to The Art of Adolf Fényes—then call to reserve. Whether you’re after a curator’s deep dive, a writer’s personal take, or a family-friendly workshop, the Hungarian National Gallery has built a winter program that turns looking into an experience.
