Closures of Budapest Museums and Other Sights

Thank you for this!

Does that mean you are here? The amount of construction here is amazing. The museum issue may have something to do with Orban reorganizing and building so he can return the castle, currently museums, to the seat of executive power.

If you are here, see the two restaurants I just posted. Very nice, one for the people and the other for great truly authentic Hungarian food with out the tourists.

AND, do post when you get the ATM bank charges. I'm curious. There is a Euronet ATM down the street, along with a OTP Bank machine. I'm tempted to pull 20000 forint from both this week and compare (shows up on my Bank account in just a few hours).

There's definitely a move to relocate some museums, I think to City Park. Beyond that, I know nothing.

The young man who sold me a Budapest Pass yesterday was quite sure the Ethnography Museum was open. Sorry, but I think I'll go with what the museum's own website says on that point. And it has been saying it for a good while, too. It's an important enough museum that I'd expect the tourist office folks to be up to date on its status.

I'm still puzzled as to whether there is actually a tourist office located at Deak Ferenc ter as opposed to the little rolling cart I eventually stumbled upon. I couldn't find an office anywhere in the area, just the cart and a bunch of private places trying to masquerade as official spots.

In September I used bank ATMs exclusively, until my next-to-last day when I really wanted to buy something, needed cash, and no banks were nearby. I bit the bullet and used a Euronet machine, declined the conversion, and got about the same rate as at the banks, no fees.

The tourist office is down the stairs closest to the 47/49 Tram end stop (on the river side of the street). Actually, not sure it's a tourist office exactly, but they have maps and you can buy travel cards, etc there. It's also the entrance to the M1 Millenium Metro museum.

I love the Neprajzi (ethnography) museum and I got to visit it twice in the enormous and elaborate old building by Parliament--very glad I did. I remember reading it will be moved to a building in Hero's Square. Also love the Applied Arts--fabulous building, glad it's staying there and being renovated.

The National Gallery on Castle Hill is definitely worth a visit, lots of Hungarian artists and last year I got to see a special exhibit of Picasso works, the year before they had Man Ray. I'll be in Budapest on the 15th and this reminds me to check what special exhibit they have.

As to ATMs, I seek out OTP, usually the one near Kalvin ter.

Update: the National Gallery no longer has the highlights from the Museum of Fine Arts on display. I still thought the NG was worthwhile. Christa, I don't pay attention to what is a special exhibit and what is part of the permanent collection, but I think the display of illustrations for "Faust" is a special deal. It's quite small.

I only check out special exhibits if I have already viewed the permanent collection, to see if a return is warranted. I.e, I’ll be visiting the Lower Belvedere in Vienna for the second time as they have Beyond Klimt, and I love Secession era art.

The Rumbach Street Synagogue is closed for what looks like significant work. I believe that has been planned for some time; I'm just sorry I didn't get to see it before the work started. You can still get a good idea of what the facade looks like (not worth taking pictures, though), and it is beautiful. It's worth swinging by for a peak when you're visiting the Dohany Street Synagogue.

The Memorial to the 1956 Revolution (probably not the official title) located near Heroes' Square / City Park is not visible at the moment. I assume it's behind the huge construction barrier behind the Mucsarnok. I'm guessing that's where they're building the new home for the Museum of Ethnography. I suspect it will be quite some time before that 1956 Memorial is accessible. The memorial at Kossuth Lajos ter near Parliament can be visited, however.