When we talk about Budapest, you can’t help but think of strolling among its many monuments, crossing its bridges, sailing the Danube at night and, of course, tasting Budapest’s best craft beers.

But the capital of Hungary offers much more. Its cultural offer can be matched by its cultural offer, as, in addition to numerous festivals and markets, Budapest has a fantastic number of museums.

Today we will take a walk through the museums dedicated to art; from pictorial art to sculpture, travelling through the centuries and walking through different epochs and societies.

The Best Art Museums of Budapest 2024

Hungarian National Museum

Múzeum krt. 14-16, 1088 

Our first stop should definitely be the Hungarian National Museum. This museum houses what can be considered the most basic and fundamental part of the history of both the city and the country.

And it does not cover a few decades or centuries, but tells us about the reality of the society, its problems, ambitions, even the beginnings, as we will be lucky enough to see works ranging from prehistoric times to the communist era of the country.

As for the building, you could well say that it is a masterpiece in itself. Its exterior is neoclassical and stands out for its majesty and incredible beauty. The interior is no less beautiful and here you could dedicate a whole paragraph to talk about the staircase at the entrance, given its singular beauty.

It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 while its beautiful garden, something that you can´t miss under any circumstance, is open daily from 5:30 to 21:00.

Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museums of Fine Arts)

Dózsa György út 41, 1146

Let’s head to the north of the city, we recommend metro line 1 or bus line 72, for important stops on your Budapest city break.

In the City Park, where you will see a replica of Count Dracula’s Castle, the impressive Vajdahunyad Castle, and one of the best spas in Budapest: Széchenyi Baths. In addition, you will have the opportunity to learn history with the huge Heroes’ Square and its sculptures, which is perfectly guarded on one side by the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, the Szépművészeti Múzeum.

The Szépművészeti Múzeum has a neoclassical façade, as we have seen in the Hungarian National Museum, with a collection that transports us from ancient Egypt to collections belonging to modern history.

The Romanesque main hall is a highlight. If you’re an art enthusiast, you’ll love both its recreation and the interesting history that surrounds it; before it became the centre of the museum’s attention, it was relegated to oblivion for years.

Kunsthalle (Műcsarnok)

Dózsa György út 37, 1146

You won’t need to go far for your next parade; just cross the square, from the entrance of one museum to the next. From the Szépművészeti Múzeum to the Kunsthalle, i.e. The Kunsthalle Art Palace.

Open since 1896, it is home to a growing number of exhibitions, many of them temporary, on different moments in contemporary art. It is not a museum like any other, as it has achieved international recognition through hard work, as evidenced by the works of great artists of our contemporary history.

Hungarian National Gallery

Szent György tér 2, 1014 

We cross the Danube to delve further into Hungary’s rich history. Although rich and interesting, Hungarian history, and that of its capital Budapest, is full of dark moments and painful defeats.

All of this is reflected in this museum, an essential stop if you want to understand first-hand the true history of the country.  As before, art serves as a vehicle to express the reality of the time.

It has an extensive collection, ranging from painting to sculpture and even photography, the latter being an art form that is highly respected nationally. The works date from medieval times to the 20th century. The evolution of all the artistic currents is represented by local artists of each period.

The museum’s collection and numerous exhibitions are rivalled by the place where it is located. In order to get to this museum, you will have to enter the royal palace of Buda Castle. And that is a real luxury.

Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art

Komor Marcell u. 1, 1095

The founders of this institution, the married couple Irene and Peter Ludwig, laid the foundations for the Museum of Contemporary Art. In addition to its extensive permanent collection of art, there are temporary exhibitions that highlight certain moments in history from the unique point of view of each author.

But if we must talk about something in particular with respect to the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art, that would be, without a doubt, the Müpa Budapest building. The building that houses this institution is a work of art. It brings together different types of artistic expression such as music, with the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, home to the National Philharmonic, and the museum itself, where you will find works by Andy Warhol himself.

Hungarian House of Photography – Mai Manó House

Nagymező u. 20, 1065

As mentioned above, photography occupies an important place in the world of the arts in Hungary, and much of the blame lies with the author Mai Manó.

His work was respected from the very beginning of his career in the mid-19th century and is still respected today, where a beautiful building houses much of his work. Besides him, other great names in photography, as well as young local talents in temporary exhibitions, are exhibited.

Róth Miksa museum

Nefelejcs u. 26, 1078 

If we talk about a big name in the country and, of course, in his branch of work, we cannot avoid talking about Róth Miksa; a glass painter and mosaic maker.

The only way to see the greatest number of his creations together is here, in the Róth Miksa museum. The reason is that his genius, and that’s the best way to describe it, led him to travel all over the world, creating some of the most beautiful works in the world; from the Netherlands to Norway to Mexico.

Victor Vasarely Museum

Szentlélek tér 6, 1033

We end our list with one last museum, which represents a new style of artistic expression; op art, also known by many as the optical art. And if there is a master in this field, it is undoubtedly Victor Vasarely.

Not only is he considered a true expert, but he is studied as the true father of this discipline. His works will make you look at them for minutes looking for a logical explanation, which you will not find. His works of art, more than 400 of them, are on display in this cult home for op art.