Szotyori-Nagy Ágnes (szerk.): A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum Közleményei 2011-2012 (Budapest, 2012)

Múzeumpedagógia, múzeummetodika, múzeumi kommunikáció - Kovács-Juhász Gabriella: A Vajdahunyadvár épülete, mint kiállítási "tárgy"

Vajdahunyad Castle as an exhibition object

GABRIELLA KOVÁCS-JUHÁSZ

In this paper the building of Vajdahunyad Castle, the home of the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, does not appear in the usual manner as a venue for objects on show, but as a complex exhibition object itself, which visitors can tour and discover with the aid of our diverse programmes.

The article begins with the origins and history of the building itself, its different architectural sections as well as those parts of the castle that visitors for the last several years have been able to discover as a part of a guided historical tour in three languages. This historical walk with its ever-expanding programme is now more than a simple guided tour. By opening up previously inaccesible parts of the building to visitors as well as offering education programmes for children, we are able to provide an informative entertainment for all age groups.

Other museums of national importance are also discussed, with a short presentation of their buildings as well, followed by an analysis of whether these museums take an advantage of their location, and if so, in what manner and to what extent. There is a growing awareness of the architecture of our major museums, and, as a result of a nationwide initiative, several of these institutions now regularly hold building tours and open weekends.

We can conclude that the guided architectural-historical tour of Vajdahunyad Castle surpasses the possibilities offered by the programmes of museums with a similarly imposing location. Our goal is to continuously expand and diversify our programmes that present our museum building, always taking into consideration the changing expectations and requiremnts of visitors.

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