Janus Pannonius Museum

The Janus Pannonius Museum is Hungary's largest regional museum, the research site of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, but it should not be considered an exhibition venue; a multitude of museums belong to it.

Its administrative headquarters is located on Káptalan Street in Pécs, in an 18th‑century Baroque canon house. From the 1960s onward, many new exhibition venues were established in this street in Pécs, leading to the formation of Museum Street.

Numerous exhibition venues belong to the Janus Pannonius Museum, including several that are widely known nationwide and even attract visitors from abroad.

History

The present museum was created during the 1951 museum unification, when the previously smaller museums were nationalized and placed under joint management. It was named Janus Pannonius at the suggestion of director János Dombay. He is credited with saving the museum material of the Zsolnay factory. A few years later the building at 2 Káptalan Street became part of the museum, and in 1955 the permanent Zsolnay ceramic exhibition opened there.

In 1958 the county museums came under the care of the county council, and its new name became the Baranya County Council Museum Directorate. In 1970, following excavations, a new permanent exhibition of archaeological finds emerged. In 1972 the Renaissance Stone Collection opened in the Káptalan Street building, and six years later the Amerigo Tot Museum. In 1976 the Vasarely Museum opened at 3 Káptalan Street.

In 1986 the Martyn Museum opened at 6 Káptalan Street. In 1993 the directorate moved from Papnövelde Street to 4 Káptalan Street.

From January 2022 the museum's appointed director is Gábor Bertók, archaeologist and chief curator, who previously led the work for a year as acting director.