In the scenic setting of the Castle District, the National Gallery inside the Royal Palace contains Hungary’s biggest collection of fine art. Here, the chronological display of paintings and sculpture run from medieval Gothic to the Habsburg era and beyond. If you only have time for one museum while you’re in Budapest, this palatial establishment is a good bet – and if you only have a couple of hours here, don’t miss the masterly works by Mihály Munkácsy.
The Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) is an ornate cultural landmark on Heroes’ Square (Hősök tere) partly reopening in October 2018. When fully operational by mid-2019 following renovation, the collection will feature Egyptian art, items from Classical antiquity and paintings by Old Masters. Already unveiled, the medieval-style Roman Hall is covered with elaborate murals.
The Neo-Classical National Museum (Nemzeti Múzeum) is home to a diverse showcase of archaeological and ethnic relics from Hungarian history. From stone-carved tools of the Palaeolithic era to the elaborate medieval coronation mantle worn by Hungarian kings, there’s much to discover here. The collection has recently been augmented with the so-called Seuso treasure, Roman silver relics from around 400AD, acquired by Hungary after a long-running dispute over ownership.