Technikatörténeti szemle 24. (1999-2000)

Szabadváry Ferenc: Országos Műszaki Múzeum: előzmények, elődök, jelen és jövő

National Museum for Science and Technology: antecedents, predecessors, present and future The first technical museum, the "Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers" that is still working, was founded in Paris, in 1794. It was a progressive initiative followed by other countries. Thus, also in Vienna, the Emperor wanted to organise a similar institution. Circulars were sent to the countries of the monarchy for the purpose. Also Palatin József sent documents to that effect to the counties, i.e., that one sample each of the products of the local industry should be sent to Vienna. The answer of county Békés survived and reads as follows: "... [the county] declares with nearly a serfs humility that exactly for the rise of our country's commerce it is necessary that such a collection of products be established in the centre of the country and not outside its borders." Probably upon the influence of similar declarations, the parliament included in law Act 18/1808, which dealt with the National Museum, the establishment of a Technological Department, so that "the development of domestic industry could be shown on products, tools and machines produced in the country". Though the technological "Department" of the National Museum developed in a promising way as far as the objects of the collection were concerned, however, as the museum did not have an appropriate building for a long time, till 1846, they were kept in store-rooms. After the foundation of the Industrial Association (1841) Lajos Kossuth mentioned and wrote about the necessity of a technical museum several times, and of a sample collection of tools and machines within the frame of the Association. The 3rd National Industrial Exhibition of the Industrial Association was shown in the National Museum ind 1846. However, the political events pushed into the background anything elso for a while. Also the Industrial Association was dissolved in 1850. After the Compromise [between Austria and Hungary] the problem of the technical museum was raised again. In the draft of the statutes of the József Technical University the Minister of Cultural Affairs József Eötvös included a Technical Museum within the frame of the Technical University (1873). The National Museum would have liked to get rid of its technical department, however, the university lacked an appropriate building. Finally, in the first place upon the influence of the Vienna World Exhibition in 1872, and recognising the importance of technical development, the parliament decided to build a Technological Museum of Industry. In the meantime it allotted temporary premises to the museum and made visiting of its collections possible in the building to be found in the so-called Beleznay Garden (today 5, Museum Boulevard). The Museum opened its doors on June 24, 1883. At the same time building of the Technological