Báthory Museum

The Báthori István Museum in Nyírbátor is a branch of the Hungarian National Museum. It was founded in 1955, and Barnabás Szalontai, the renowned folklorist, played a decisive role in its establishment. The museum's archaeological, historical, ethnographic, arms, fine and applied arts collections were placed in the former building of the Minorite monastery, which was built in the 18th century next to the Roman Catholic Minorite church in Nyírbátor.

The history of Nyírbátor has been intertwined for centuries with its landlords, the Báthory family, whose estate, home and burial place were also there. In addition to the history of the settlement, the museum also presents important memories of the princely family.

History

The museum was founded in May 1955, its initiator and leading figure in its creation being the folklorist Barnabás Szalontai. At the end of 1961 the museum held a total of 14 508 objects, a number that already exceeded 31 000 in the autumn of 1968.

Renowned researchers also came to the museum, publishing studies, for example, on ceramics and folk architecture. Barnabás Szalontai launched the county series of publications, which has since been a valuable source not only for researchers of this region but also for those interested in museology. In a series of articles he processed the material and intellectual heritage of the Nyírbátor guilds.

The museum became an important intellectual workshop of the settlement, contributing to the work aimed at regaining city status, which succeeded in 1973.

Until 2013 the museum operated organizationally as an institution of the Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Directorate; since then it has been working as a rural component of the Hungarian National Museum, in cooperation with the Rákóczi Museum in Sárospatak.

On 15 May 2015 the museum commemorated the 60th anniversary of its founding with a ceremony.

Local History Collection

The exhibition titled "Centuries of the City of Nyírbátor" was placed in the space created from the monastic cell block. A collection recalling the 70‑year (1920–1990) border‑guard settlement past also received a place.

Memorials of the Báthory family

Among the museum's treasures are the rare dragon‑carved red marble sign stone with a date, related to the Báthorys, as well as gold and silver coins minted by the Transylvanian Báthory princes during the 16th–18th centuries. One of the most beautiful pieces is the smaller row of seats of a Renaissance temple stallum made in 1511 in Florence, which originally stood in the local chapel of Saint George named after the Báthorys. This stallum was returned from the Hungarian National Museum to Nyírbátor in 1968. The museum also preserves three original charters issued by the Transylvanian princes.

Weapon collection

The museum also presents a rich weapon collection. Here can be seen the saber of Gábor Báthory, Prince of Transylvania, and a decorative sword donated to Gábor Bethlen in 1622 on the occasion of the Nikolsburg peace.

In addition to medieval weapons, the collection includes 20th‑century Hungarian‑made hand weapons.

Further curiosities

The museum preserves the artistic legacy of the painter associated with the Nagybánya school, Eszter Farkas, as well as a unique collection of glass negatives made in the 1910–20s of the town’s inhabitants.

The richly furnished hall of the museum is also dedicated to the memory of its founder, Barnabás Szalontai.