The Hungarian National Gallery is lining up a packed season of guided tours, talks, and creative workshops across its permanent and temporary exhibitions, with programs offered in Hungarian and English. Located at Szent György Square (Szent György tér) 2 in the Buda Castle District, the gallery houses the largest public collection tracing how Hungarian fine art took shape and evolved. Visitors can book tours, call for details, and explore special sessions tied to major shows such as TIHANYI 140. All images are under the copyright of the Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery.
January Highlights: Tihanyi in Focus, Plus Bold Sculpture
Kicking off on January 15, 2026, the season opens with TIHANYI 140, a curator-led tour by Mariann Gergely in Budapest. The following day brings The Human Behind the Palette, guided by art historian Gergely Barki, delving into artists’ lives beyond the canvas.
January 17 doubles up: Embroidered in Concrete sees writer Rita Halász lead a subjective, writerly walkthrough, while Rebellious Forms, Daring Colors – The Art of Lajos Tihanyi spotlights the modernist’s chromatic courage and formal experiments. On January 18, Century-Turn Nude Sculptures explores the sensual and stylistic shifts around 1900, alongside another run of the Tihanyi tour. The Tihanyi show returns January 23, 29, and 31, with Halász back on the 31st for another personal take.
February: From Budapest to Berlin and Paris
February opens with The Restless Charmer: Lajos Tihanyi, a conversational tour guided by Nóra Winkler and Tünde Topor on February 5. The next day, writer and art historian Rita Halász leads Budapest–Berlin–Paris: Lajos Tihanyi’s Road to Abstraction, tracing the painter’s European journey into avant-garde language. February 7 focuses on the art of Adolf Fényes, a key figure bridging realism and modern sensibility, with another Tihanyi tour that day. On February 8, Rebellious Forms, Daring Colors returns again, keeping momentum behind TIHANYI 140.
Blockbuster Exhibitions: Endre Tót and Lajos Tihanyi
The Gallery’s major autumn–winter slate includes Endre Tót: Night Visit at the Museum, running November 6, 2025 to March 1, 2026. Expect conceptual wit and nocturnal mischief. From November 21, 2025 to February 15, 2026, TIHANYI 140 marks the 140th anniversary of Lajos Tihanyi (1885–1938) with a full-dress retrospective, drawing links between his expressionist roots, The Eight (Nyolcak), and his later abstract turns in European exile.
Family Days, Workshops, and Access Programs
The calendar is full of hands-on and family-friendly events. Color It Anew! – a museum workshop for kids – takes place on January 14, 21, and 28. Mama, Look! – The Silence Speaks arrives January 15, followed by Mama, Look! – The Beauty of the Body on February 5. There’s an Italian-language Visita guidata in italiano on January 16 and again on February 13.
January 17 is packed: Rebellious Forms, Daring Colors – The Art of Lajos Tihanyi; Rita Halász’s Embroidered in Concrete; plus Create! – Abstract Experience Painting, inviting visitors to translate feeling into gesture and color. On January 24, Adventure in the Gallery – Unusual Faces turns the galleries into a playful discovery zone, while January 25 offers an accessible Tihanyi tour with sign language interpretation.
For the youngest visitors, Toddlers – Snowflake Dance charms on January 27, and Toddlers – Venetian Carnival brightens February 10. On January 22, an Online Guided Tour of the Tihanyi exhibition opens the doors digitally, perfect for those far away.
Talks, Lectures, and Deep Dives
On January 24, art historian Gergely Barki gives a lecture: Two or None: Doublings and Gaps in Lajos Tihanyi’s Oeuvre, exploring repetition, absence, and the mysteries of process. February 1 features The Eight – Pre-announced Guided Tour, a focused look at The Eight and their role in jolting Hungarian art into modernity. February 7’s Create! – Naked Reality offers a studio-minded, figurative workshop, complementing the earlier session on abstraction.
Architecture Walks and Special Themes
On February 8, the Building Walk – From the Crypt to the Dome offers a vertical journey through the gallery’s architecture and its layered history atop Castle Hill in Buda. Valentine’s Day brings Love Is in the Air on February 14, a thematic encounter with romance in art across the collection.
Where to Stay: Steps from the Castle
The program guide highlights stays near the Buda Castle District, an area inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987. A 4-star boutique hotel by the Danube promises panoramic rooms and a 10-minute walk to Buda Castle, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion, with the Chain Bridge leading straight to Pest’s cafés, wine bars, shopping streets, and business quarter. Buda Castle Hotel sits on a tranquil side street within the Castle Quarter (Várnegyed), close to major sights yet pleasantly quiet, while Budavár Guesthouse (Budavár Panzió) places guests at the foot of Fisherman’s Bastion, steps from Matthias Church, right inside the World Heritage zone.
For value seekers, Gold Hotel Budapest offers air-conditioned, elegant rooms with LCD TV, minibar, hairdryer, and free Wi‑Fi. The Hilton Budapest blends modern interiors with the remains of a 13th-century Dominican cloister, its Dominicans’ Courtyard hosting open-air events. Rooms and public spaces look out over the Danube, the city’s graceful bridges, Margaret Island, the Parliament, downtown Pest’s grand facades, and the Buda Hills—putting Budapest’s panorama on full display as you plan your next gallery visit.
