The Museum of Ethnography Achieves Outstanding Results

Budapest’s Museum of Ethnography continues to earn recognition at home and abroad for its architecture, exhibitions, publications, and expert team – a fact reflected in the impressive list of awards, honours, and nominations received in 2024 and 2025.

The striking new building, designed by Marcel Ferencz, won a Gold Medal at the FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence – one of the most prestigious international real estate development awards – in 2024, and was also shortlisted for the 2024 Dezeen Awards.

The permanent collection exhibition, opened in autumn 2022, has been celebrated for its design and execution. It received the iF Design Award in 2024 in the “Exhibition Design and Implementation” category, and in 2025 collected two Red Dot Awards – one for the overall exhibition and another recognising its innovative multimedia solutions. It has also been nominated for the prestigious Luigi Micheletti Award, with the results to be announced in September 2025.

Temporary exhibitions have likewise enjoyed success. The contemporary art show Suspension of Disbelief received the Special Prize in the Exhibition of the Year 2024 awards, organised by the Pulszky Society – Hungarian Museum Association. In 2025, the exhibition Székelys – Patterns of Heritage, exploring szekler identity, was nominated for the Exhibition of the Year award, with winners to be announced in October 2025.

The museum’s publications have also attracted attention. In 2024, Suspension of Disbelief (exhibition catalogue), ZOOM (catalogue), and Permanent Collection (exhibition guide) were longlisted for the Hungarian Book Design competition. The Beautiful Hungarian Book 2024 award went to the Suspension of Disbelief catalogue and the Permanent Collection guide. In 2025, the ZOOM catalogue went on to win a Gold Indigo Award, a Silver A’ Design Award, and a Red Dot Award.

Innovative museum projects have received international recognition as well. The Motif Creator app was nominated in 2024 for the CIMAM (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art) Award for Outstanding Museum Practices. That same year, the museum won the HungarianBrands award in the “Innovative Brand” category. In 2025, its Night at the Museum! programme was named a finalist for the European Museum Academy’s Children in Museums Award. Also in 2025, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation designated the Museum of Ethnography a Family-Friendly Workplace.

Behind these achievements stand the museum’s dedicated professionals. On 7 February 2025, János Nagy, Minister of State and Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, presented staff with certificates of recognition for their tireless and meticulous work in creating the new permanent exhibition to an exceptional standard. In 2024, ethnographer Margit Kiss, retired curator, and in 2025, restorer Katalin Perger, both received the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit, Civil Division.