Kiscelli Museum
Kiscelli Museum
4
About
The Kiscelli Museum is one of the hidden treasures of Obuda located in a former baroque monastery and church on the top of a hill. It manages a collection related to urban history and fine arts of Budapest. In its permanent exhibitions you can find fabulous furniture, trade signs, plans and silver artefacts, modern and contemporary paintings and sculpures. While in the temporary ones you can see a selection of history of photography, sports and fashion as well. The building ensemble is surrounded by a nice park and hiking trails, so it is a good destination for excursions as well.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
37 reviews
Excellent
15
Very good
16
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Constantin
Le Havre, France5 contributions
Nov 2020
I had a very nice experience at the Kiscelli Museum. It is a charming building constructed around the remnant of a church. I visited the exhibition "Design without borders", and everything was beautifully showcased. I saw another temporary exhibition on feminist artists, and the permanent collection of Hungarian artifacts and street signs.
Consider it if you want a cultural day and a change of atmosphere
Consider it if you want a cultural day and a change of atmosphere
Written December 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen P
Minneapolis, MN999 contributions
Aug 2015 • Friends
The Kiscelli Museum is an 18th century monastery and church converted into a museum, exhibition and performance space. I agree with another reviewer who felt the place was underfunded and when we looked into rental prices for an event we were surprised to find it very much on the high end. It does need more funding to get the price down; there would be more traffic. This is important because the museum is tucked away in a wooded part of Buda and it is a lovely, quiet wooded change of pace from the city.
The permanent exhibition is historical about Budapest. They preserve many of the old street signs of shops and pubs from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries as well as quite a few good examples of decorative statuary made of sandstone which was quite weathered, adding to the feel of antiquity..
This made the the absolutely perfect frame for the exhibition we came to see, of paintings and a video installation by Budapest artist and philosopher Attila Kondor. His subject is meditation and consciousness, very much following the ideas of yoga and the Hungarian philosopher Bela Hamvas. The show was stunning and exquisite. Kondor seldom puts his canvases in frames, preferring instead to frame his paintings with the building itself and the lighting. His sensibility in this regard is distinctly architectural and heavily influenced by Renaissance and Baroque forms, including staircases, doorways, fountains, collonades and reflecting pools. One of my favorites among recent works is "Uncreated Light," a doorway, slightly opened to reveal light on the other side of the door, with the architectural features of the doorway rendered not in color, but in the texture of the paint, so you can't see the doorframe looking straight on, only from the side, with light reflecting over the surface of the paint.
The paintings were reason enough to come (Can you tell I am a fan?), but in the former darkened sanctuary of the church he installed three video screens that run silent animations of some of his paintings to very minimalist music played by expert Indian musicians (although you wouldn't characterize the music as classically Indian). It was dark and silent and the installation explores the experience of consciousness unfolding in meditation. The space fit his work like a glove. I also had the pleasure of the artist's company for this showing which came near the end of the run. I was glad for this, because it made the experience more contemplative.
One of the other reviewers notes that the 165 bus that goes by this museum also goes by the Daubner Csukraszda, widely known as the best pastry shop and gelateria not only in Budapest, but in all of Hungary. All the gelato is made with absolutely fresh, natural and/or organic fruit and it is a must visit after this museum.
The permanent exhibition is historical about Budapest. They preserve many of the old street signs of shops and pubs from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries as well as quite a few good examples of decorative statuary made of sandstone which was quite weathered, adding to the feel of antiquity..
This made the the absolutely perfect frame for the exhibition we came to see, of paintings and a video installation by Budapest artist and philosopher Attila Kondor. His subject is meditation and consciousness, very much following the ideas of yoga and the Hungarian philosopher Bela Hamvas. The show was stunning and exquisite. Kondor seldom puts his canvases in frames, preferring instead to frame his paintings with the building itself and the lighting. His sensibility in this regard is distinctly architectural and heavily influenced by Renaissance and Baroque forms, including staircases, doorways, fountains, collonades and reflecting pools. One of my favorites among recent works is "Uncreated Light," a doorway, slightly opened to reveal light on the other side of the door, with the architectural features of the doorway rendered not in color, but in the texture of the paint, so you can't see the doorframe looking straight on, only from the side, with light reflecting over the surface of the paint.
The paintings were reason enough to come (Can you tell I am a fan?), but in the former darkened sanctuary of the church he installed three video screens that run silent animations of some of his paintings to very minimalist music played by expert Indian musicians (although you wouldn't characterize the music as classically Indian). It was dark and silent and the installation explores the experience of consciousness unfolding in meditation. The space fit his work like a glove. I also had the pleasure of the artist's company for this showing which came near the end of the run. I was glad for this, because it made the experience more contemplative.
One of the other reviewers notes that the 165 bus that goes by this museum also goes by the Daubner Csukraszda, widely known as the best pastry shop and gelateria not only in Budapest, but in all of Hungary. All the gelato is made with absolutely fresh, natural and/or organic fruit and it is a must visit after this museum.
Written August 20, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheslav S
Baar, Switzerland94 contributions
Jun 2019 • Business
First - it is not easy to reach the museum. you need to have car or to use taxi. Building is not good maintained. Some expositions is interesting, but the general impression - could be much better.
Written June 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travellingtbprecise
Leuven, Belgium399 contributions
Sep 2015 • Friends
Getting to the Kiscelli Museum is a bit tricky. From Pest, cross either the Széchenyi Chain Bridge to Clark Ádám tér, or the Margit híd bridge. At the Buda side, find the bus stop near either of this bridges for bus 17 (direction: Bùecsi út). Get off the bus at Szent Margit Kórház (hospital). The stop is announced or digitally posted on the bus, so that should be ok. Backtrack a bit and take Kiscelli u. on your right. Next, walk up the steepest hill you've ever seen. It's at the top :))
We visited the Kiscelli Museum the 3rd Sunday of September (2015), and for one or other reason admission was free that day.
The Kiscelli is a municipal museum (A former church. Worn out on the outside, but you wouldn't say on the inside). It displays all that has to do with the history of Budapest. Some explanatory signs have been translated in English (perhaps not 50%). All the same, the exhibition is quite self-explanatory. You will find old paintings and pictures from when Pest was still a village, the first printing presses, old street signs, a complete pharmacy from last century, and loads of other stuff from the end of the 19th, and first half of the 20th century.
This is not a museum for anyone expecting a top notch selection of paintings, or photographs. We've seen dozens of more spectacular museums in the world. However, we quite enjoyed our 1.5 hour visit!
We visited the Kiscelli Museum the 3rd Sunday of September (2015), and for one or other reason admission was free that day.
The Kiscelli is a municipal museum (A former church. Worn out on the outside, but you wouldn't say on the inside). It displays all that has to do with the history of Budapest. Some explanatory signs have been translated in English (perhaps not 50%). All the same, the exhibition is quite self-explanatory. You will find old paintings and pictures from when Pest was still a village, the first printing presses, old street signs, a complete pharmacy from last century, and loads of other stuff from the end of the 19th, and first half of the 20th century.
This is not a museum for anyone expecting a top notch selection of paintings, or photographs. We've seen dozens of more spectacular museums in the world. However, we quite enjoyed our 1.5 hour visit!
Written September 29, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CaptainNicholas
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary19 contributions
Other than the horrid modern art, Kiscelli Museim is host to a wide exhibit of the old Budapest. Models, photos and paintings of buildins long lost to fires, wars and city development. An amazing experience if you are into this sort of thing like me! Be sure to check out the interior of the bombed down cloister on your way out. It is breathtaking!
Written July 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HealdGreenForever
Slovakia278 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
Kiscelli Museum is set in a beautiful building in a leafy courtyard, a short distance from Budapest's city centre. We enjoyed getting out of the craziness and into a more normal, lived in part of the city as we journeyed on the tram.
What was particularly interesting for us were the old guild and shop signs, however the content of the museum is varied and, at some points, unexpected (as a few rooms also house art exhibitions and displays).
What was particularly interesting for us were the old guild and shop signs, however the content of the museum is varied and, at some points, unexpected (as a few rooms also house art exhibitions and displays).
Written February 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DerTamas
Budapest, Hungary69 contributions
Oct 2017
Today the management of the museum closed the building before the official closing time without any warning on the online forums. We planed our afternoon to view the exibition but this way we didnt have the chance...
Written October 22, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
happy_camper393
Berlin, Germany8 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
Kiscelli Museum is an out of beaten track attraction: while not very central, it is located in a beautiful old monastery building, in an area full of natural beauty: forests and caves nearby. The Museum itself is focused on municipal treasures of Budapest, objects of arts, daily life, paintings of the city before its full glory. The museum has always some very interesting temporary exhibitions, which are housed in the old church, which by itself looks amazing. Highly recommended! (Can be combined with visiting nearby caves, and hilltop views)
Written August 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pantelis M
Nea Epidavros, Greece17 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
The overall experience was good, but that's about it. The access to the museum is not that easy, we had to change 2 rail lines and a bus in order to get there from the center of the city. And unfortunately non of the permanent exhibits had English descriptions, so we pretty much had to guess had we were looking at. Staff was also speaking from little to non English. Outstanding was a cinema hall downstairs inside an enormous stone room. Budapest card guaranteed us free entrance.
Written January 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacopo G
0 contributions
Really nice museum about the history and the lifestyle of the city in the last three centuries; a bit out of the abitual points of interest of the tourists. The old church inside the museum is wonderful and just this worths the visit. But a lot of stuff has no comments in english (the pharmacy and the entire collection of private fornitures). That's a bit annoying.
Written April 27, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How do
I get there using public transportation
Written August 5, 2017
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