Since we started focusing on the museums of Budapest in our Budapest guide, several museums have been visited and so also yesterday. I had the privilege of visiting the Museum of Applied Arts and the Holocaust Museum, and I must admit that I liked one of them a lot, and the other fell a little bit outside my area of interest.
First I headed of to the Holocaust Museum in the ninth district of Budapest. As I enjoy history this was something that I had been looking forward to for a long time. Everything started with a metal detector, and after that I could enjoy the museum. It was very modern and all information could be found in both English and in Hungarian. Several screens served me with information, not only about the Jews, but also about the Roma (gypsies) and the effect Holocaust had on them.
Holocaust Museum Budapest
Moving on I could see, read and hear about the historical background for the holocaust, focusing especially on the effect it had on Hungary. Statistics were also shown showing information on the size of the Jewish population in Hungary throughout the last decades.
In the end I could enter into a Synagogue, which was once destroyed, but has now been built up again together with the museum.
After the museum visit I went guiding a group of tourists, and afterwards I went on to visit the Museum of Applied Arts. First of all I felt like I needed an explanation on “What is Applied Art.” As I read in Wikipedia I found it to be explained as: “Applied art refers to the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Whereas fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensibilities, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility, such as a cup, magazine or decorative park bench.”
Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
A little bit smarter I was ready to enter into this building which almost every tourist see (coming with taxi from the airport), but almost no one enters. I decided to check out the permanent exhibition “Collectors and Treasures” showing the history of the Museum of Applied Arts, and showing articles they have received and bought since its first days in 1872. Among the most special objects inside was the clock of the Holy Roman Emperor and Hungarian King Maximilian II from 1566. My personal favorite was a chess table from the start of the 19th century, with very special figures and a table not like other chess tables I have seen before.
Next to the objects some history and background could always be found concerning who gave it, and how it enriched the museum and its collection of different articles.
To me the Museum of Applied Arts became a little bit boring, but that is probably because of my lack of interest in this subject. As a person who enjoys history a lot more the Holocaust Museum became a great experience, and then looking at the cupboards, clocks, porcelain and similar objects did not make me feel like in heaven. But, for those who like Art Nouveau the Museum of Applied Arts is a must to see, both the inside and the outside.
