The following is an adapted version of an article originally published in Magyar Krónika.
The 2025 programme of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hungarian National Gallery offers exciting exhibitions. Visitors will be able to admire the legendary Chinese clay soldiers, the art of William Blake, the medieval works of Master MS, and the masterpieces of Hungarian Art Nouveau poster art.
In 2025 the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hungarian National Gallery will present a rich programme of exhibitions, including world-famous artefacts and works by renowned artists.
Director General of the Museum of Fine Arts László Baán presented the plans for this year at a press conference. He stressed that the museum continues to be among the 100 most visited institutions in the world, with around 800,000 visitors in 2024.
Thanks to successful exhibitions and the growing reputation of the institution, its collection has grown by more than a thousand items in the last two years, with a total value of more than five billion forints.
One of the highlights of the year will be the opening of the exhibition The Guardians of Eternity — The First Chinese Emperor’s Clay Soldiers on 27 November. The exhibition traces the rise of China’s Qin Dynasty (8th–3rd centuries BC), focusing on its world-famous terracotta army.
The life-size clay soldiers will be accompanied by special visual elements as well: some of the sculpture replicas will feature digital projections of their original colours. Besides, an accompanying exhibition at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts will also await visitors, featuring the Asian Huns, or Xiongnu, the people against whom the Great Wall of China was built.
‘The museum continues to be among the 100 most visited institutions in the world’
In April one of the most famous but mysterious figures of medieval Hungarian art will be in the spotlight: the exhibition titled Master MS and His Age will present seven altarpieces of the main altar of the Church of St Catherine in Selmecbánya as well. Recent research suggests that Master MS, an anonymous artist, may have been of southern German origin, coming from the area around Nuremberg and Vienna.
Another special exhibition, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, focusing on the art of William Blake (1757–1827) and his contemporaries, will open on 25 September. The exhibition, a collaboration with the Tate Museum in London, displays visionary prints and paintings by one of the most influential figures of English Romanticism.
The exhibition Habitat — Nature and Landscape Constructions at the Hungarian National Gallery will explore the historical aspects of eco-art and nature representation from 21 March. From April art nouveau lovers will also be able to enjoy the exhibition Hungarian Art Nouveau Poster Art and Material Culture (1895–1914), which will present nearly 100 posters, furniture, jewellery, and Zsolnay ceramics from the period.
The Hungarian National Gallery is organizing two major retrospective exhibitions this year, with the oeuvre of Gyula Czimra from mid-May and Lajos Tihanyi from 20 November in the spotlight. In addition, a commemorative exhibition on the paintings of Adolf Fényes will also open its gates later this year.
Among the smaller institutions, the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts will showcase the influence of modern theosophy in Hungary from the end of April, while the Vasarely Museum is already hosting an exhibition focusing on the works of István Nádler and Eric Kressnig. Moreover, the Vasarely oeuvre will also be presented in São Paulo, Brazil, with a comprehensive exhibition in the coming years.
At the press conference, László Baán spoke about the situation of the future new building of the Hungarian National Gallery, too. He said that the procurement procedure is currently underway, with five major international companies competing for the construction work. The decision could be made as early as this spring, and if the project goes ahead as planned, the gallery could have a new home by the end of the decade.
The opening of the Museum of Photography in the City Park, which will showcase the collection of the Hungarian Museum of Photography, was also discussed. The institution will be located in the Klösz Mansion and will open to the public next spring.
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