The Hungarian Ethnographic Museum: Design, Discovery, and Three Red Dot Awards
If you’re a foreign visitor in Budapest, prepare to have your socks knocked off—not just by paprika and the view from Fisherman’s Bastion, but by the Hungarian Ethnographic Museum and its world-class exhibitions. Tucked beside City Park in a strikingly modern building, this museum has always been a magnet for culture enthusiasts. But 2025 has truly catapulted it onto the international scene, thanks to a remarkable haul of design awards that has curators, designers, and museum-lovers everywhere buzzing.
Three Red Dot Awards: A Record for Hungary
Let’s cut to the chase. In the prestigious Red Dot Awards Brands & Communication Design competition—the Oscars of the global design community—the Ethnographic Museum stunned the world with not just one, but three awards in 2025. The new permanent exhibition, its cutting-edge multimedia installations, and the spectacular catalog for the ZOOM exhibit all clinched Red Dot honors. Never before has a Hungarian museum exhibition captured this level of attention, making the Ethnographic Museum a trailblazer for visual storytelling and exhibition design in Central Europe.
The Red Dot Award, established back in 1955, is internationally recognized as the gold standard for outstanding design. Achieving even one award is a major coup, but to walk away with three is a testament to the museum’s ambition, creativity, and commitment to making folk culture not just accessible, but downright mesmerizing.
An Exhibition Like No Other
So what’s so special about this museum and its new exhibitions? First, the permanent display opened in late 2024 and it’s massive—eight themed sections fill 3,000 square meters, displaying 3,600 objects from Hungary and beyond. But you’re not just staring at things behind glass. Thanks to the inventive touch of art1st design studio, you’ll find yourself on an interactive journey, exploring the unique stories behind every artifact with multimedia tools, touch screens, and some of the most imaginative exhibition design you’ll ever experience.
The museum wants guests to get hands-on with history, to discover not only what objects are, but who made them, used them, and cherished them. It’s less about dusty relics, and much more about sparking curiosity—ideal for international travelers who crave a deeper connection to the cultures they’re visiting.
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ZOOM: The Big Bang of the Collection
If the permanent exhibition leaves you inspired, don’t miss ZOOM—a show and catalog that present the museum’s collection as a cultural “Big Bang.” Designed by Zoltán Berta, the ZOOM catalog stands out for its unique structure and playful approach. Rather than a dry encyclopedia, you’re given a clever guide that leads you on a journey of exploration, revealing treasures as you flip through its pages. This innovation just earned the Red Dot Award, along with the A’ Design Award and Indigo Award—cementing the museum’s reputation as a leader in interpretive design.
Even More International Recognition
2025 wasn’t just about Red Dot glory. The museum and its creative team have scored nominations and wins for a dazzling array of international honors. The permanent exhibition clinched the IF Design Award, a global badge of design excellence. The ZOOM catalog received accolades from both the A’ Design Award and Indigo Award. Projects like “Night at the Museum!” earned finalist status for the Children in Museums Award, emphasizing playful engagement for younger visitors.
Among other standout recognitions, the museum was nominated for the Luigi Micheletti Award for innovative museum practice and the CIMAM Outstanding Museum Practices Award. The museum’s art book also won praise in Hungary’s Beautiful Book Competition, signaling that this is a space where creativity pulses in every corridor and corner.
Why Visit the Ethnographic Museum in Budapest?
As you plan your Budapest itinerary, put the Ethnographic Museum high on your list. You’ll get a window into centuries of Hungarian traditions, crafts, and lifestyles—all presented in a way that celebrates both the past and the future. Whether you’re an art lover, a history buff, or simply a design enthusiast, you’ll walk away with fresh inspiration and maybe, just maybe, that spark to look at culture everywhere through new eyes.
Think of it as a cultural adventure—one that’s been internationally certified as stunningly beautiful. Come see why the whole world is applauding the Ethnographic Museum, and why Budapest is rapidly becoming one of Europe’s most exciting destinations for museum lovers from every corner of the globe.
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