“A Soldier’s Story: Travelling Exhibition and Shared Reminiscence” Opens in Nak!

At 5:00 p.m. on 12 June 2025, Tamás Molnár, museologist at the Museum of Ethnography, officially opened one of the museum’s latest travelling exhibitions in Nak, focusing on compulsory military service. The event drew enthusiastic visitors, many of whom shared their own stories and experiences from their time in the military.

The project is part of the Petőfi Cultural Programme, implemented through the Regional Cultural Services Model Programme of the National Institute for Culture, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation. The aim of the programme is to make the knowledge preserved in the Museum of Ethnography accessible not only in Budapest, but also in the smallest settlements — presented professionally, yet also as a meaningful experience.

In connection with our travelling exhibition A Soldier’s Story, a roundtable discussion was held in Nak on 18 June. The event took place at the exhibition venue, the Mayor’s Office. We were delighted that several local residents — men and women, former conscripts and career soldiers alike — took part in the discussion and shared their stories, objects, and photographs related to their time in the service.

We heard stories about how training could be dodged, how to earn brownie points, how to make calls from the barracks, what it was like to be a black sheep, playing games of chase with tanks, and fleeing from bees.

The travelling exhibition remains open to the public in Nak until 26 June during the official opening hours of the Mayor’s Office. We warmly welcome everyone to the closing event as well!