Museum of Applied Arts / Iparművészeti Múzeum

Address:	Üllői út 33-37 1450 Budapest
Website:	http://www.imm.hu/
Opening hours:	Tue - Sun: 10.00-18.00 Mon: closed
Telephone:	+36.1.456.5107
Events:	Kreatim – Design for Take-away! Pentecost Edition Exhibition and Art Fair 27 May 2012 10:00 Art Deco and Modernism 17 Mar 2012 – 30 Sep 2012

The Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest was founded as the third in Europe, following the ones founded in London (1857) and in Vienna. The parliament session of 1872 agreed to provide 50.000 Fts for purchasing items of applied arts in the world exhibition made in Vienna in 1873. These items meant to be the basic collection for the museum to be founded. The growing collection was displayed in the staircase of the National Museum. Later the collection was taken into the building of the old art gallery (69 Sugár Road).

The opportunity to own a home only came about in 1890. At first a site was purchased (Hőgyes Endre Road) for the museum to be built. Later this site was further extended, and the State wrote out a proposal for designing a modern palace suitable for both the museum and a school of applied arts.

Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos won the competition, but the actual commission to begin work was only given to them in 1893. The inauguration of the building took place as the final event of celebrating the millennium, on 25 October 1896.

Right from the building of the palace fierce disputes were manifested, but its importance in the trend of international secession and in the lifework of Lechner is now an undoubted fact. The building is characterised by the oriental ornamentation of early secession. The harmony of function, high artistic standards and unique forms is secured by modern static structures.

The coloured dome adorned with Zsolnay ceramics and the open entrance hall with its wonderful ornaments still make a warm invitation to the visitors. However, these marvellous aesthetic and architectural elements still could not convince the members of the opposing party. That is how the inside paintings (Károly Miksa Reissmann) were drastically limed over by the end of the 1920′s (only two rooms survived).

Related

• Hybris Performing Arts Project 2 December 2011, Friday
• Kreatimm – Design for take-away! – Jubilee art fair in the Museum of Applied Arts 10 December 2011, Saturday 10:00 – 11 December 2011, Sunday 20:00
• The Valley of Arts 22 July 2011, Friday
• Night of Museums @ Kunsthalle and Ernst Museum 23 June 2011, Thursday
• Bridge of Arts 20 August 2011, Saturday – 22 August 2011, Monday