Budapest to Open Museum Unveiling the History of Communism in Hungary

Published: August 08 2023

Budapest is set to open a new museum dedicated to the history of communism in Hungary. The Museum of Communism will be located in the former tobacco factory in Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The museum aims to provide an interactive and immersive experience to educate visitors about the atrocities of the communist regime in Hungary.

The museum will be housed in a building of the former tobacco factory, covering a total area of 3,000 square meters. It will feature a permanent exhibition divided into four floors, showcasing different periods of the communist regime. The basement will focus on illustrating the brutality of the regime, while the second floor will highlight the political and economic takeover, destruction of the rural elite, and everyday life during that time. The third floor will be dedicated to the Ceaușescu era, and the exhibition will culminate with the 1989 revolution.

Visitors to the Museum of Communism will have the opportunity to actively participate in various events and scenarios from the time period. They will be engaged through interactive tools, such as being questioned and guided to different rooms based on their answers. The museum will also offer the chance to learn about the experiences of deportees, rent an apartment furnished with items from the communist era, and simulate aspects of daily life, including power outages and dripping faucets. Additionally, there will be Escape Rooms for visitors to test their problem-solving skills and immersive exhibits, such as projected materials, photographs, and objects.

The content of the museum will be created with the assistance of local historians and experts. They will conduct interviews with individuals who have firsthand memories of communism in the region, focusing on events in Szeklerland and Kovasna County. The public collection will use a combination of antique objects donated by local residents and modern, interactive, and virtual tools to present the era of communism and its atrocities.

In addition to the exhibition space, the Museum of Communism will feature rooms for educational activities and temporary exhibitions, as well as a souvenir store, a pastry shop, and a café on the roof. These facilities aim to enhance the overall visitor experience and provide additional opportunities for learning and reflection.

Overall, the opening of the Museum of Communism in Budapest will serve as an important resource for understanding and commemorating the dark legacy of communism in Hungary. Through its interactive exhibits and immersive design, the museum hopes to educate visitors about the atrocities of the regime, while also preserving the memories and stories of those who lived through this period of history.

Where is the Museum of Communism being built? The Museum of Communism is being built in Sfântu Gheorghe, Transylvania, Romania.

When is the expected completion date of the Museum of Communism? The Museum of Communism is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

What will the Museum of Communism showcase? The Museum of Communism will showcase the atrocities of communism on three floors, divided by eras. It will feature interactive tools for visitors to engage with.

Who bought the former tobacco factory where the museum is being built? The municipality of Sfântu Gheorghe bought the former tobacco factory in 2021 for almost five million euros.

How is the funding for the Museum of Communism being obtained? The funding for the Museum of Communism is being obtained through tender funds and an allocation of 11 million euros from the National Restoration Fund.

What will the public collection of the museum focus on? The public collection of the museum will focus on the events of communism in Szeklerland and Kovasna County, with the help of local historians conducting interviews with people who remember this period.

What will be the size of the permanent exhibition in the museum? The permanent exhibition in the museum will cover a total of 3,000 square meters on four floors of the former tobacco factory building.

What will be showcased on each floor of the museum? The basement of the museum will illustrate the brutality of the communist regime. The second floor will showcase the communist political and economic takeover, the destruction of the rural elite, the history of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, and everyday life. The third floor will be dedicated to the Ceaușescu era. The exhibition ends with the 1989 revolution.

How will visitors interact with the exhibitions in the Museum of Communism? Visitors will be involved interactively in the various events of the time. They will be interrogated and sent to appropriate rooms based on their answers. They can learn more about the events through the stories of deportees, experience power outages and dripping faucets, rent an apartment with furniture from the time, and even try to escape from Escape Rooms. The museum will also have rooms for educational activities or temporary exhibitions, a souvenir store, a pastry store, and a café on the roof.

What types of tools and materials will be used in the museum's exhibitions? The museum's exhibitions will use modern, interactive, and virtual tools to present the era of communism and its atrocities. Visitors can expect to see projected materials, photos, objects, and an interactive elevator.

Can people donate objects to the Museum of Communism? Many people have expressed their desire to donate antique objects to the museum, but the public collection will primarily focus on using modern and interactive tools for the exhibitions.