House of Music Hungary

Welcome to the House of Music Hungary where music really belongs to all. We welcome visitors of all ages, with a preference for any genre of music and with every level of musical skill, as well as everybody with an openness to all forms of musical interaction. Our diverse range of events provides a plethora of musical experiences, including exhibitions, concerts, playing music together, singing, dance, exciting music education workshops and lecture courses.      

Temporary Exhibition 

LISTEN. – A Musical Journey Around the World

ENTER THE EXHIBITION! ARRIVE ON OUR PLANET! LISTEN! YOU ENCOUNTER FAMILIAR SITUATIONS, YET THE EXPERIENCE IS SOMEHOW DIFFERENT. USE ALL YOUR SENSES ON THIS IMMERSIVE MUSICAL JOURNEY!

LISTEN. is based on films shot in over thirty countries and featuring over a hundred performers. It is a celebration of our musical and cultural differences and our common roots. No matter where on Earth we are, we express the events and emotions that define our lives through music. This exhibition thus brings to life the situations, moments, and events that are familiar to all of us, from birth to death, while also allowing us to experience how many different ways that the music associated with these circumstances and celebrations manifests itself in various parts of the world, with different instruments and sounds. LISTEN. also shows how listening to each other and communicating are key factors in human development, while music is present in every aspect of our lives.

The House of Music Hungary has a tripartite structure in regard to both its architectural and institutional organisation. On the underground level places have been allocated to permanent and temporary exhibitions on an area of more than 2,000 square metres. The two interior spaces on the level of the park are suitable for hosting live music events, concerts and workshops. In the open-air garden area people can have a pleasant conversation while enjoying concerts and performances on an open-air stage. The upstairs level houses the library providing a venue for quiet study, learning and education with works primarily on popular music, as well as music education rooms with workshops bringing young people closer to music.

Concert hall

Two performance halls can be found on the ground floor: the concert hall, which is also suitable for musical experimentation, can seat 320 and accommodate 500 people standing.   

Lecture hall

On the level of the institution’s entrance, next to the Concert hall, a smaller hall can be found. The Lecture hall for 120 people is designed to host presentations, lectures, workshops, small concerts and folk dance evenings and can also function as a conference auditorium. 

Open-air stage

The open-air stage on the level of the institution’s entrance provides a venue for concerts held during the day or early evening and for small musical events, including those for budding orchestras and bands. Visitors can also listen to concerts while sitting on the slope opposite the stage or in the garden area next to it.    

Sound dome

What is a sound dome? This question can be answered quite literally: a dome-cupola, which emits sounds. But it is more than just that. Our sound dome is also a projection screen with a sound system behind it. Anyone sitting in the middle will hear sounds coming from all directions.  The world of sounds is evoked here starting with those of nature to composed music but the experience visitors have here expands beyond this dimension. This dome is also a laboratory producing new sounds: alchemy at the highest level. It is a unique creation with unforeseeable potential. It is worth returning here from time to time and making new discoveries. The first show conveys the sounds and images of the Carpathian Basin from unique audio and visual perspectives.  

Permanent Exhibition

DIMENSIONS OF SOUND - MUSICAL JOURNEY THROUGH SPACE AND TIME

“The ear lies nearest to the human soul.” 
(Johann Gottfried Herder, „Kritische Wälder”, 1769 )

The House of Music Hungary is a tree of life in the heart of Városliget, with a trunk, and a crown of golden leaves on slender branches. We are standing here by its roots, which provide the institution with its spiritual sustenance. The roots are entwined, like a labyrinth, and we walk among them. Our journey begins far back in time and space, back at the birth of music itself where we can grasp the roots of Hungarian folk music and European music. Progressing through the centuries, we will follow the development of music, discovering what a series of organised tones has meant to mankind, with the emphasis on Hungarians in the light—or sometimes the shadow—of Europe. Through the language of music, the exhibition speaks for itself: Everywhere we go, we hear music playing; the subject of the exhibition is music itself. Quoting Shakespeare, we might say, “Mark the music!” Mark not only the music coming from the headphones, but also the music around and within you. When you reach the end of the path, the modern day, many sounds will have been etched into your heart and mind: music to take home with you, the music of ancient times.