Budapest’s Hungarian National Gallery heads into winter with an energized calendar: blockbuster exhibitions, expert-led tours, family days, creative workshops, music-accompanied evenings, and bilingual programs that crisscross eras from medieval altarpieces to the modern avant‑garde. It’s a season steeped in Advent atmosphere, hands-on making, and a deep dive into the life and art of Lajos Tihanyi, the trailblazing member of The Eight (Nyolcak).
Dec 3: Museum+ Night with Tihanyi
On December 3, Museum+ focuses on Lajos Tihanyi, born 140 years ago and long viewed in Hungary largely through black-and-white reproductions until his legacy made a winding return home. The evening uncovers Tihanyi as both open‑hearted friend and revolutionary creator, situating him within the radical energy of The Eight.
Dec 3, 10, 17: Color It Anew! Kids’ Studio
The December edition of the “Színezd újra!” kids’ workshop is a winter journey through standout works of Hungarian art. Children roam snowy landscapes and warm interiors painted on canvas and listen to stories with a seasonal glow. They meet Saint Nicholas, Mary, and the infant Jesus, and, after games and chats in the galleries, head to the studio to create pieces inspired by these wintry tales.
Dec 4: Look, Mom! Motherhood in Art
Warming up for Christmas, this program searches for the art world’s most depicted duo—Mary and the child Jesus—across panel paintings and sculptures. By tracing clear parallels, it shows how this timeless theme resurfaces from the Middle Ages to modern and contemporary art.
Dec 6, 11, 21, 27, 30; Jan 9: Lajos Tihanyi, Rebel Colors
The major Tihanyi retrospective marks his 140th birthday with key paintings, graphics, and personal objects. Deaf from childhood, Tihanyi conjured colors and forms from silence, forging a singular voice without academic training. His distinctive visual language made him one of the most original figures of The Eight and 20th‑century Hungarian painting. Several guided tours help visitors unpack the work and its context.
Dec 6: Create! A Golden Holiday
On Saint Nicholas Day, visitors slip into festive mode: they learn Saint Nicholas’s legend and the history of gilding through Gothic altarpieces glowing with gold leaf. After the tour, the studio turns hands-on—participants decorate small tablecloths with gold paint, borrowing motifs from the altars for a sparkling holiday table accent.
Dec 7: Waiting and the Wonder of Birth
Writer and art historian Rita Halász leads an offbeat Advent tour titled “Waiting and the Wonder of Birth,” tuning into quiet magic and reflective moods through select works.
Dec 10: Mind Fitness—Christmas Miracle
An Advent edition of the popular “Mind Fitness” invites guests to slow down among paintings and altars, exploring the season’s spiritual depth and beauty. The session closes in the studio with creations inspired by what visitors have seen.
Dec 12: Two Paths—Italian Tour and Curator-Led Tihanyi
Art historian Gergely Barki offers a distinctive walk-through of the Tihanyi 140 exhibition, lifting the curtain on the person behind the palette. Also on the 12th, an Italian-language guided tour sweeps the museum’s greatest hits from the Middle Ages to today, spotlighting the 19th and 20th centuries—with a playful nod that Dante might appear among the canvases.
Dec 13: Holiday Moods with Adolf Fényes
This tour layers the senses—flavors, snowy scenes, Christmas games, angels’ music, and the scent of fir—using the Adolf Fényes memorial show as a centerpiece while weaving in resonant works from the permanent collection.
Dec 14: From Crypt to Dome—An Architectural Walk
The former Royal Palace hides marvels. This building tour maps the National Gallery’s story and holdings, stepping into the Habsburg Palatine Crypt, climbing to the panorama-rich dome, and strolling through other exceptional corners.
Dec 16: Toddlers—Falling Stars
A gentle winter afternoon for the youngest visitors follows a bright celestial sign through the darkness to centuries-old altars. They listen to angels’ songs, take an imaginary walk through a snowy landscape, and playfully explore the possibilities hidden in white paint—then enjoy studio time to craft for the holidays.
Dec 18: Look at that, Mom!—Reflections of Motherhood
In English, this tour revisits depictions of mothers with children as we celebrate the Nativity, tracking how the theme reemerges after the Middle Ages in modern and contemporary works.
Dec 20: Family Day—Christmas Prep with Csontváry
Craving something special before Christmas? The Gallery’s Family Day threads together art, play, and holiday spirit—an upbeat, all-ages celebration under the spell of Csontváry.
Jan 7: Color It Anew! Kids Become Detectives
January’s “Színezd újra!” turns into a mystery hunt through the galleries. Young sleuths chase clues across dozens of Tihanyi’s works, scan hidden details, and piece together a larger puzzle. Studio tasks keep the making alive: cheeky “forgeries,” composite “phantom” portraits, and experiments with photo manipulation.
Jan 8: Look at that, Mom! Sunny Days
An English-language guided visit explores the exhibition Pictures of Tranquillity alongside works by Adolf Fényes (1867–1945) and related selections from the permanent collection, lingering on light and calm moments.
Jan 9: Italian-Language Highlights Tour
Another Italian visita guidata surveys the National Gallery’s signature masterpieces, emphasizing the 1800s and 1900s while moving briskly from medieval origins to the present.
Jan 10: The Art of Adolf Fényes
A fresh look at Adolf Fényes opens windows into worlds where sunlight bathes even the humblest interiors and market scenes glow with everyday lyricism—an uplifting coda to a season that balances contemplation with creative play.
