Museum of Ethnography Day – Preserved landscapes, living knowledge

On March 5, 2026, on the 154th anniversary of its founding, the Museum of Ethnography will welcome visitors with a full day of free programs and free entry to all exhibitions. The celebration is not just a commemoration of a date, but also a showcase of more than a century and a half of collecting, research, and knowledge transfer, which has made the museum one of the most exciting ethnographic institutions in Europe today. Last year, the museum won four prestigious international awards, and in 2026 it was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award, which will be decided by an international jury in Bilbao in May.  The series of professional successes was expanded in 2025 with another award: the museum's ZOOM catalog received a bronze award in the Print/Books category of the International Design Awards (IDA, USA). 

The programs of the Museum of Ethnography Day reflect both the history and the present of the institution. In the Collection Exhibition, a thematic guided tour presenting János Xántus's Japanese and Bornean collections evokes the period when the museum was founded and the significance of 19th-century scientific expeditions. Throughout the day, numerous curator-led tours will provide insight into the museum's current exhibitions, from a photo exhibition exploring the world of turn-of-the-century glass negatives to a large-scale selection showcasing Hungarian ceramic art, as well as a comprehensive presentation of the permanent collection exhibition. 

The professional work behind the scenes will also be in focus: presentations will showcase the museum's new exhibition archiving methodology and the dilemmas of designing an online collection database, while in the digitization workshop, visitors can follow live how a fragile glass negative is transformed into a high-resolution, searchable digital file. A book launch, a chamber exhibition on the history of science, and a lecture further enrich the scientific horizon of the day. 

The theme of 2026—the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)—will play a prominent role in the Museum of Ethnography's year-long program series and is also closely linked to the programs on March 5. The knowledge of shepherding, the relationship between humans, animals and the landscape, and the ecological and cultural significance of grazing livestock will be brought to life through lectures, film screenings, musical performances and craft programs. With its initiative entitled Preserved Landscapes – Shepherds Around the World, the museum invites visitors to reflect on both global and Carpathian Basin traditions. 

Musical programs will also await the audience throughout the day: shepherd and peasant songs will be performed in traditional style, followed by a concert by the Egressy Brass Band to close the evening. Visitors will also be able to vote for the TOP 10 items in the collection exhibition throughout the day, jointly creating a route that highlights the museum's most important pieces. 

The Museum of Ethnography Day is thus not only a celebration of its founding anniversary, but also a celebration of the convergence of knowledge, collection heritage, and contemporary issues—an institution that interprets its past not as a closed story, but as living knowledge that continues to be written in the present. 

Please note that all programs are going to be conducted in Hungarian! Thank you for you understanding!