Seven centuries of Simontornya Castle
András K. Németh, director of the Simontornya Castle Museum
MúzeumCafé 29.
Gothic, Renaissance, Ottoman rule, the Rákóczi War of Independence, industrial revolution, Socialist Realism – seven centuries have left an indelible mark on the walls of Simontornya Castle. How can all this be preserved? What can the present age add? How can a young museum director start with such an inheritance? In a disadvantaged location can there be a future at all for a museum which is part of a changing county museum structure? How can an archaeologist and historian, who has primarily academic ambitions and whose Churches of Medieval Tolna County containing much new research was recently published, relate to everyday cultural and technical tasks? After university, András K. Németh became an archaeologist at the local museum in Paks. For 18 months he has been director of the Simontornya Castle Museum, which operates as an independent department of the Wosinsky Mór County Museum. It’s not an independent institute in that it doesn’t have its own collection, doesn’t collect or store, and doesn’t keep an inventory. The castle building belongs to the state, what’s on its interior walls belongs to the county muesum, while the moat belongs to the local authority. It cuts the grass, but if interior repairs are needed then it’s necessary to turn to restorers based in Szekszárd or local tradesmen. That’s been the situation to date. The question is – how is it going to function as an independent institute without the county museum? Last year there were 11,688 visitors, including 1313 people attending events and 1591 children coming as part of a museum education programme. About 3000 visitors were predominantly local. The castle is in Simontornya and has to function as part of its economic, geographical and social environment.