Magyar Vegyészeti Múzeum

The Hungarian Chemical Museum is the only independent museum of Hungary and Central Europe dedicated to the presentation of chemistry and the chemical industry. The institution is housed in Várpalota, in the Thury Castle.

History

During socialism, Várpalota was one of the centers of heavy industry and the chemical industry, as the Inota November 7 Power Plant was located in its area, and at that time the Péti Nitrogen Plants also belonged to the city. Because of this, it was considered appropriate to place the domestic chemical and chemical engineering memorabilia in the city. The organization of the museum began in 1961, but it only started operating in 1963. The collection of the Ministry of Heavy Industry (NIM) arrived in Várpalota in 1969. The new museum was placed in the then still ruined Thury Castle. From 1976, the local Mining History Collection was also placed in the castle. The renovation of the castle was delayed until 1981, and the completed exhibition halls were finished by 1986. The museum obtained, among other things, an exhibition space of nearly 1500 m² consisting of 7 rooms. From 1989, the institution operated as a subsidiary of the Heavy Industry Research Institute.

In 1990, after the regime change, the National Heritage Committee declared the castle building a National Heritage site. In 1991, the institution changed from subsidiary status to foundation maintenance. The creation of the foundation involved the Hungarian Chemical Industry Association (MAVESZ), the National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of Hungary (MAGYOSZ), the Trade Union Federation of Hungarian Chemical Industry Workers, and the now defunct Heavy Chemical Industry Research Institute. According to the provisions of Law CLVI of 1997, the Veszprém County Court declared the museum and the foundation operating it an organization of outstanding public benefit on November 17, 1998.

The renovation of the castle housing the museum was completed in 2005, after the structural reinforcements and the new roof were finished.

To ensure the institution's future survival, the museum foundation agreed with the National Technical Museum, and with ministerial permission became its external member from August 1, 2007, under the name National Technical Museum Chemical Museum. After this and the Transport Museum merged, the chemical museum has since operated as part of the new Hungarian Museum of Technology and Transport.

The museum's material collection consists of more than 11,000 items, the library of more than 19,000 volumes, and the general industrial history documentation collection of about 47,000 documents. Annually 10–15,000 visitors come to the museum, where during the exhibition they can learn about the development of chemistry, the chemical industry and pharmacy from medieval alchemists to the present day, as well as the lives and work of famous Hungarian researchers.

Since 2001 the museum has also organized summer camps for students called Alkimista camp, promoting science.