About Skanzen

Museumhistory

Open air ethnographic museums were established at the end of the 19th century owing to various factors. On the one hand, in accordance with the scientific progress branches of museology continually developed and differentiated. A demand for creating an ethnographic museum which is suitable to demonstrate folk life in a most complex way, furnishings and farming equipment included arose. On the other hand, the capitalist economy reaching its developed stage since the second half of the 19th century resulted in an intensive urbanisation and modernisation from the north-west to the east of Europe, as a consequence of which the existing pieces of peasant architecture began sinking into decay at an alarming speed. Preservation of monuments of folk architecture became imperative. For accomplishing this dual task “skanzens” have proved to be exceptionally appropriate.

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE HUNGARIAN OPEN AIR MUSEUM

The Hungarian Open Air Museum is a non-profit, permanent, national institution open for the public, working in the service of society and its development. It undertakes the research of folk architecture, interior furnishings and way of life, the collection of tangible and intangible relics in the Hungarian language territory, the safeguarding of this heritage, the versatile publication of the collections and providing access based on participation to this knowledge. With its research and collection work it takes part in the protection of Hungary’s varied (multi-ethnic and religious) cultural heritage and the social and cultural development of the settlements. With the help of its exhibitions, publications, digital content, museum education and recreation programmes, by the representation of material culture, way of life and traditions and by the mediation of theoretical knowledge and practical information adaptable in everyday life it helps a better understanding and usage of folk traditions and contributes to the popularization of the Hungarian national culture at a national and an international level, and the mediation of a sustainable lifestyle based on museum knowledge.