A wide range of free events will take place on 15 March at the Petőfi Literary Museum (PIM), part of the Hungarian National Museum Public Collection Centre, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution. The day will feature historical tours, hands-on workshops, interactive games, and special exhibitions, offering visitors a unique opportunity to reflect on Hungary’s revolutionary past through the lens of literature, history, and cultural heritage.
The day’s events will begin with a revolution-themed walking tour, jointly organized by the Petőfi Literary Museum and the Lutheran National Museum. Participants will explore 19th-century Pest through the museum collections, guided by the poetry, prose, and correspondence of Sándor Petőfi.
At noon, a commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Petőfi statue in the museum’s garden, where József Attila Prize-winning poet and translator Lázár László Lövétei will deliver the ceremonial address.
From 10am to 6pm visitors can witness the revival of Landerer and Heckenast’s historic printing press, operated by travelling printer Tamás Novokrescsenszkov. Guests will even have the chance to print copies of the iconic Twelve Points.
Throughout the day, attendees can also participate in an interactive city-building board game, in which they will design a revolutionary city by taking on the roles of historical revolutionaries.
For those interested in architecture and hidden history, the palace tours at 10am and 1pm will lead visitors through the secret corners of the Károlyi Palace, the home of the Petőfi Literary Museum. Between 11am and 4pm thematic guided tours will explore key aspects of the museum’s exhibitions, focusing on subjects such as the delicate balance between private and public life, the significance of Petőfi’s travels, foreign influences, and little-known personal stories.
The afternoon will highlight treasures from the museum’s collection. At 4pm curators from the Hungarian National Museum Public Collection Centre will showcase some of the most intriguing artefacts recently acquired by the institution’s member collections. At 6pm a special presentation will bring to life the stories of the ‘Youth of March’ and the events of the revolution through the objects preserved in the PIM’s holdings.
This year’s programme also aims to broaden the focus beyond the well-known figures of Sándor Petőfi and Mór Jókai, introducing visitors to other key revolutionaries such as Dániel Irányi, Alajos Degré, and Józsa Oroszhelyi, shedding light on their roles during the revolution and their subsequent lives.
All exhibitions and events at the Petőfi Literary Museum on 15 March will be free of charge, though advance online registration is required to participate in the programmes.
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