Museums in District I (Budapest)

Matthias Church- Ecclesiastical Art Collection

After touring the magnificent Matyas Church, a visit to the art collection might be just the ticket. Inside, you'll find everything from an exact replica of the Hungarian crown (complete with the crooked cross sticking out of the top) to gold work, a lapidary (gemstones) and a history of the church in Hungary. It's all beautifully presented.

Bible Museum

This museum contains a large collection of bibles in various languages. It traces the history of the bible through archaeological and other major discoveries. There is also a collection of Hungarian bibles, in which written Hungarian was used for the first time. The museum is also of interest to calligraphers, as the bibles are mainly hand-written and illustrated (and illuminated).

Budapest History Museum

This museum is definitely worth a visit, especially if you have been enchanted by the beauty of Budapest and you want to learn more about it. It is housed in one of the wings of the actual palace. You will find several exhibitions retelling the city's long and turbulent history as well as sections that have been renovated to show what the palace used to look like in medieval times. There is also a fine collection of statues. Do be aware that the museum has changing opening hours and days; from mid-May to mid-September, it is open every day; during the rest of the year it is closed on Tuesdays.

Castle Cave

This is a great place to visit for many reasons, not least for its cool, shaded interior and interesting layout. Kids with big imaginations will love the seemingly never-ending maze-like corridors. The network of tunnels can only be explored with a guide (English/ German or Hungarian speaking), presumably because it's easy to get lost down here. On your tour, you'll see storerooms, baths (a lot of time was spent down here) and the main attraction: German combat stations from the Second World War.

Golden Eagle Pharmacy Museum

This is a fascinating little museum that is well worth a look. It shows how the modern pharmacy developed from the study of alchemy, as well as actual counter layouts and shelf displays from around a century ago. If you like unusual and interesting little bottles, containers and other such things, then this is the museum for you. Some of the working pharmacies in Budapest are also beautiful and fairly unchanged in the last century - why not pop in and take a look? If you're someone who thinks they don't like museums, this one may well suit you, as it is small and unique. It makes a very nice break from the bustle of Castle Hill.

Hungarian National Gallery

A large section of the royal palace is dedicated to this gallery. Almost the entire history of Hungarian art is on display here, with the earliest pieces dating back to the tenth century so there's a thousand years or so to work your way through. Viewing the inside of the castle is interesting in itself. Guided tours are also available.

Iparmuveszeti Muzeum (Museum of Applied Arts)

This spectacular building (designed by Lechner) caused much controversy when it opened. Today it is generally considered a masterpiece, although it has been considerably toned down over the years. Lovers of architecture and interior design simply must visit. The displays inside are almost all temporary but there is a permanent exhibition of Hungarian arts and crafts. It is worth noting that this was only the third such museum in the world (the first being in London, the second in Vienna).

Telephone Museum (Telefonia Muzeum)

This is one of Budapest's favorite museums, especially popular with kids. One of the reasons for this is that many of the displays are interactive; children and adults too can send faxes to each other, operate an old switchboard and so on. Seeing the huge desk of the switchboard operator and comparing it to today's mobile phone technology really illustrates what has been achieved in the past 120 years.

War History Museum

Lovers of things military as well as history buffs will enjoy this museum. Their collection is said to number into the tens of thousands of pieces. It ranges from tiny models of actual battle scenes (children are usually fascinated by these) to uniforms, medals and of course weapons. There is also a section of military art, some of the paintings being quite stirring. Please note that the museum is closed from mid December until the end of February.

National Office for the Protection of Historical Monuments Exhibition Hall

If you've ever wondered how they restore or preserve all of the beautiful buildings in the city, then this is the place to visit. It's free and it gives a quick overview of Hungarian architecture (and architects), as well as detailing how buildings are maintained. It's really quite fascinating and shows how the work to restore such precious buildings is both painstaking and often controversial.

Semmelweis Museum

This small museum (once the home of the famous doctor) is beautiful from the outside as well as from the inside. Ignac Semmelweis made his name by discovering a cure for pre-natal fevers (which hinged around sanitary and aseptic conditions), thus saving the lives of many women. He became known as the "saviour of mothers". The museum houses more than just mementoes to him; there are pharmacy items, a mummified skull and other objects as well as models of dissection.