Military History Institute and Museum

Military History Institute and Museum (Budapest District I, Tóth Árpád promenade 40 / Kapisztrán Square 2–4). The museum has been closed since May 21, 2023. The Military History Archive and the Military History Library remain open to researchers.

In June 2023, the head of the Ministry of Defence and some of its organizational units moved into the Buda Castle building.

History

The Military History Museum was created in 1918 from museum objects collected together with Hungarian military historical memorabilia in the Budapest Military History Archive. The founders were Colonel (vitéz) Kamil Aggházy and Major General (címzetes) János Gabányi. From 1922 it became independent and later received its own museum building. The western wing of the Ferdinand residence, built in classicist style in 1847 – called the Nádor residence from the 1880s – was adapted for the Military Museum from 1926. Then, at the end of the 1920s and in the 1930s, it was occupied. Its permanent exhibitions were opened to the public in 1937. During the Second World War, two‑thirds of the collection were destroyed.

In 2022, speculation arose that the museum would have to move out of the building, possibly because the Ministry of Defence wants to move in. Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay‑Bobrovniczky confirmed the fact of the relocation on July 19, stating that the institution must be more accessible and meet the challenges of the 21st century. There are only guesses about when and where a new location for the museum will be found, but it could take 2–3 years.

The institution's headquarters is located in the barracks at 29/B Kerepesi Street, the collections have been placed in various warehouses. The Military History Archive continues to operate in the old HM HIM building at 2-4 Kapisztrán Square, and the HM HIM Central Archive at 12 Verseny Street. Here the Military History Library, which has been relocated to Székesfehérvár, also provides a reading service.

Until the new capital museum building opens, a temporary military history exhibition was available in Székesfehérvár from August 2023.

Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced in November 2023 that the museum will permanently be housed in the currently (when?) reborn building of the Defence Headquarters on Dísz Square, which is expected to be moved into in 2026. The minister appointed Colonel Dr. László Töll, commander of the institution, as a ministerial commissioner in April 2024; he will be responsible for the military identity, "the main purpose of his activity is to adapt the spirit of the historically renowned Hungarian warrior to the Hungarian Defence Forces preparing for the challenges of the present and future, so that the national armed force's self‑identity as a body and as individual soldiers derives solely from this." His place was taken over by Colonel Roland Maruzs, who first served as acting and then appointed commander.

Collections

After the Second World War the collection began to grow significantly again; today its weapons collection contains more than 50,000 museum items of small arms, firearms and other military‑technical equipment. The museum's military uniform collection has more than 30,000 items, including about 300 complete outfits. A prized part is the flag collection of five thousand pieces and the medal collection of 28,000 items. It also has collections of books, fine art, photographs, seals, posters and forms.

Some notable items

The saber of General Janos Damjanich, commander of the Hungarian forces in the 1848–49 revolution and war.

Georgy Klapka’s ceremonial saber,

Ernő Kiss’s service uniform of the 1848 Hungarian Honvéd General

Regimental flag of the 5th Hussar Regiment, 1806.

Bertalan Farkas’s space suit

External exhibition sites

Whale, 175 years of the Hungarian Defence Forces

St. Stephen King Museum Building in Székesfehérvár, “Treasury of Our Military Past” temporary exhibition (15 August – 3 December 2023)

Lajta Monitor Museum Ship (temporarily closed)

Military Memorial Park Pákozd

Kecel Military Technology Park

Komárom – Monostor Fortress

Székesfehérvár – Local Guard History Memorial Collection

Szolnok Military Equipment Specialist Collection

Szombathely Military History Exhibition

Museum of the History of Hungarian Military Cartography

The Hungarian Military Cartography Museum operates in the building of the MH Geoinformation Service (Budapest, District II, Szilágyi Erzsébet Avenue 7-9.) as a collection exhibited by the Hungarian Military History Institute and Museum. The Museum was established in 1981. Its purpose and mission are to present the work and history of military cartography, to collect, preserve and make its memories public. The present form of the collection developed over about fifteen years.

In two larger rooms the history of Hungarian cartography from its beginnings (16th century) to the present is shown. Within this, the development is illustrated by presenting the methods, tools, stages of work and products of mapping. The Museum also houses memories of the service’s professional and social life, and its domestic and foreign contacts.

In three adjoining memorial rooms visitors can learn about aerial photography supporting mapping, the 1:25 000 scale surveys, and the instruments used in recent decades.

The professional‑history collection also provides insight into the beautiful and interesting, yet demanding life of military cartographers, who required dedication to their profession.

The Museum willingly presents its material to interested visitors. Practical operation allows visits by prior arrangement. From a suitability standpoint, a pre‑arranged group visit is advisable, but individual interested persons are also welcome.

Most well‑known publication

Military History Communications: a quarterly journal for the development of Hungarian military historiography. The journal of the Military History Institute and Museum. Budapest: HM Military History Institute and Museum. ISSN 0017-6540. The first issue of the scholarly journal was published in 1888, and since then (disregarding two longer interruptions) it has been continuously active.