Culture

Cinema

Besides Hollywood movies there is a wide selection of art films from all over the world. You can choose from various films, dubbed or subtitled, depending on your knowledge of foreign languages.

Theatre

There is a very rich and active theatre life throughout the country. The season starts in September and ends in May. To be on the safe side, you should book your tickets well in advance for a play of your choice.
Plays in foreign languages are regularly on at the following theatres:

 

Classical ballet and contemporary dance are both widely appreciated in Hungary. If you like dance you should not miss the performances of Győri Balett (Győr Ballet), or those performed by the ensemble led by Frenák Pál or Bozsik Yvette.
www.trafo.hu

Going to the Opera House at least once is a must. Not just because of the imposing building itself, but also for its high quality performances.

Museums and Art Galleries

The best places to learn about Hungarian culture, art and history are the exhibitions. Museums are open from 10 am to 6 pm, and are usually closed on Mondays. If you use your student ID, you will be entitled to a discount from the ticket price.
Here is a list of some of the most famous museums in Budapest:

  • Museum of Fine Arts
    Sculptures, paintings and drawings from ancient Egypt to Modern Arts.
  • Hungarian National Gallery
    Largest public collection of the fine arts in Hungary
  • Museum of Ethnography
    Exhibitions on folk traditions
  • Hungarian National Museum
    Archaeological, historical, ethnic relics on the history of the people of the Carpathian Basin
  • Museum of Applied Arts
    Beautiful collection of Hungarian works of applied art from the 19th century to the present
  • Kunsthalle
    Hungary’s largest exhibition place of contemporary art
  • Palace of Art
    Concerts, exhibitions, performances, you name it, they have it! It hosts the National Concert Hall, the Ludwig Museum and the Festival Theatre.

 

You can find all of the Hungarian museums and galleries at www.museum.hu/index_en.php including all the up-to-date information on permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Dance houses, community and cultural centres

The dance house movement started in the 1970s with the aim of preserving traditional folk music and dance. Given that this is a shortcut to understanding each other without even knowing the language, they are quite popular among foreigners. Community and cultural centres offer various kinds of programmes to please everyone: clubs, workshops, concerts, sports, etc.