The Pásztó Museum MúzeumCafé 4. author: János Hír, museum director Pásztó is a small town in the Zagyva valley, between Hatvan and Salgótarján. Nearby are the western Mátra and the eastern Cserhát Hills, the remains of volcanoes silent for ten million years, the fossilized remains of marine life from the Miocene period 11-20 million years ago and the loess at the foot of the hills […]
Works of homelessness and forlornness Kolumba Museum, Cologne MúzeumCafé 4. author: Péter György When in 1852 devout Catholics established the Christlichen Kunstvereins für das Erzbistum Köln (the Christian Art Association of the Cologne archdiocese) a public museum had already been open in the city for years. The later-founded Wallraf-Richartz Museum, which received further donations, with its collection dating from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, points well […]
Hungarian museum gardens MúzeumCafé 4. author: Péter Hamvay It would be nice to walk along Baroque avenues or converse about fountains and beautifully trimmed bushes by the winding paths of landscape gardens, yet we keep having to avoid parked cars, cyclists, dogs off the leash and dried-out ponds in the capital’s historical gardens – by the National Museum, the Castle Museum and the […]
The Budapest model of archeological heritage protection Between YES and NO MúzeumCafé 4. author: Paula Zsidi, archeologist, deputy director, Budapest History Museum In February Múzeumcafé published differing opinions about the new national organisation, the Field Service for Cultural Heritage, established for the protection of archeological heritage. The Budapest History Museum’s archeological heritage protection system can contribute to the planned tasks of the new Field Service. For example, the museum’s Archeological Data Store collects and processes topographic data […]
Experimenting and taking risks Barnabás Bencsik, new director of the Ludwig Museum MúzeumCafé 4. author: Orsolya Merhán Art historian Barnabás Bencsik (b 1964) left a managerial post at ACAX (Agency for Contemporary Art Exchange) when he was appointed director of the Ludwig Museum at the Palace of Arts on 1 March 2008. He succeeds Katalin Néray who directed the museum from 1992. His position is for five years. Bencsik willingly takes risks […]
Museum in the Museum MúzeumCafé 4. author: Erzsébet Marton The old building of the Koszta József Museum in Szentes is situated in the wonderful Széchenyi Gardens. A long country house, one section has been the home-from-home of many noted museologists, while the other hosts exhibitions. The place has a real ‘family’ atmosphere, creating an identity within the local community of museologists. The curators of […]
Investigating submerged secrets Underwater archeological research MúzeumCafé 4. author: János Attila Tóth, archeologist, records management, National Office of Cultural Heritage Archeologists used to be known as ‘divers for antiquities’, but it has only been since the second half of the 20th century that they have actually gone under water. Hungary joined this ‘club’ of sub-aqua discoverers only at the end of the 1980s. Waterbeds stretching for a thousand kilometres most be combed thoroughly, for only […]
From clients to visitors MúzeumCafé 3. author: Zoltán Lévay Enikő Nagy left the post of deputy director in charge of PR and information at Pannon Telecom becoming the communication manager of the Palace of Exhibitions last autumn. In the interview she says: “The 12 years spent with Pannon in marketing and PR marked a significant period in my life. I learnt and experienced a […]
Where death is not a taboo MúzeumCafé 3. author: Péter Hamvay One can sometimes be surprised. On a cold, foggy winter day, for example, you go to the Museum of Reverence in the Kerepesi Cemetery and would not admit even to yourself to shuddering in advance at the sight which might await you – coffins, shrouds, mourning garments, etc. Then, if it did not reverberate with […]
In conflict with form MúzeumCafé 3. author: Gergely Mézes What does a doctor specialising in spinal surgery do when he is not in the operating theatre? Péter Pál Varga, chief director of the Buda Health Centre, for example, browses museum catalogues, looks for new pieces for his collection of medals or reads about contemporary Japanese ceramics. Furthermore, he is the founding member of the […]