Sóstó Museum Village (Sóstói Múzeumfalu), Hungary’s largest regional open-air ethnographic museum, throws open its gates with a calendar that lets you step straight into village life from 150 years ago. Expect Árpád-era routines reimagined, hands-on craft sessions, and themed weekends where you don’t just watch traditions—you take part in them. The currency? Not a typo. You’ll pay for most crafts in “bankó,” the museum’s own money, bought at the ticket office for about $0.27 each (100 HUF per bankó). Most workshops cost 5 bankó—around $1.36—and you take your handmade “masterwork” home.
November Sundays: Felting in the Tailor’s Workshop
Every Sunday in November, the Tailor’s (Szabó) workshop hosts felting. Roll, press, and shape wool the old way, then pack your finished piece in your bag. Cost: 5 bankó, bought on-site. Dates: November 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30.
Tuesdays: Weaving, Old-School and Hands-On
If looms and threads are your speed, Tuesdays are for weaving sessions in the museum village. Mark down November 4, 11, 18, and 25 for guided practice using traditional methods. It’s a weekly rhythm, taught among timbered houses and creaking floors.
Fridays: Scented Sachets and Herbal Tea Tastings
Fridays bring a double treat: sewing your own fragrant sachets and sampling restorative herbal teas. You sew, you sip, and you take your sachet home, all for 5 bankó. Dates: November 7, 14, 21, and 28. Yes, it smells as cozy as it sounds.
Saturdays: Free Guided Tours
Saturdays offer free guided tours at 10:30 and 14:00. These walks stitch together the stories behind the buildings, crafts, and communities that shaped rural life—without costing a penny. Dates: November 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Saturdays: Leathercraft Workshops
Right after or before a tour, drop into a leathercraft session and stitch something sturdy. As with other crafts, finished items go home with you. Fee: 5 bankó, purchased at the ticket office. Dates: November 8, 15, 22, and 29.
November Highlight: St. Martin’s Day Merrymaking
On November 8, St. Martin’s Day Festivities (Márton-napi vigasság) bring the harvest-season party to the village. Expect the traditional St. Martin’s flair—lively, rustic, and steeped in seasonal custom. It’s the kind of Saturday that pairs perfectly with a leathercraft session and a free tour.
Advent in the Village
Circle December 13 for Village Advent (Falusi advent), when the museum village shifts into winter traditions mode. Think candlelight, crafts, and the kind of slow, communal atmosphere that winter used to demand. It’s a single date, so plan ahead.
How the Bankó Works
Craft activities across the village are priced uniformly at 5 bankó. You buy bankó at the museum ticket office for roughly $0.27 each (100 HUF per bankó), then use them at workshops. The uniform pricing keeps it simple, and the currency itself is a fun nod to the village’s self-contained world.
Plan Your Month
– Sundays: Felting at the Tailor’s workshop (Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30) — 5 bankó
– Tuesdays: Weaving sessions (Nov 4, 11, 18, 25)
– Fridays: Scented sachet sewing and herbal tea tasting (Nov 7, 14, 21, 28) — 5 bankó
– Saturdays: Free guided tours at 10:30 and 14:00 (Nov 8, 15, 22, 29)
– Saturdays: Leathercraft workshops (Nov 8, 15, 22, 29) — 5 bankó
– Special: St. Martin’s Day merrymaking (Nov 8)
– Special: Village Advent (Dec 13)
The organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs, so check before you go. But whenever you show up, expect a living museum that lets you weave, stitch, press, and taste your way through history—with a pocketful of bankó and a handmade souvenir to prove it.
