The Museum of Ethnography in Budapest will mark its 153rd anniversary on 5 March with a wide range of complimentary programmes featuring a special photography exhibition, guided tours, concerts, and discussions, according to a statement from the institution.
At the heart of the celebrations will be the opening of a unique exhibition showcasing Hungarian photographs from 1862, on loan from London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The anniversary festivities will also include scholarly lectures, museum education workshops, and panel discussions aimed at highlighting the role of ethnography in understanding past and present societies.
Visitors will have the opportunity to explore how 19th- and 20th-century scholars and travellers documented distant cultures, while religious anthropologists will engage in conversations on the historical transformations of magic, fetishes, and shamanism. Additionally, insights from recent fieldwork will reveal the challenges faced by Mongolia as it navigates the intersection of tradition and modernization.
Further highlights include an introduction to the museum’s so-called ‘zero collection’ and updates on recent research projects involving traditional clothing, ceramics, and zithers. Special guided tours will focus on Szekler culture and identity, the remarkable personality of naturalist Ottó Herman, and the stories behind selected artefacts from the museum’s extensive collection.
Alongside the launch of the Hungary in Colour: Hidden Photographs from 1862 exhibition, the museum will also debut a new initiative titled Present Archive. This project, part of the museum’s contemporary documentation programme MaDok, aims to create a collaborative archive of photographs and personal stories from the 1990s to the present day. Visitors are invited to contribute their own images and narratives, helping to build a shared, community-driven portrait of modern life in Hungary.
With its dynamic blend of historical reflection and contemporary engagement, the Museum of Ethnography’s anniversary celebration promises to offer something for every visitor, reinforcing its role as a vital guardian of cultural memory and scholarly inquiry.
Details on the programme are available here.
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