On 10 February 2026, the collection exhibition will be partially accessible to visitors. Details

Programs

Busó traditions and carnival celebrations at the Museum of Ethnography

Thematic program day 14/Feb/2026 10:00 - 18:00

Carnival is the period from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday (February 18 in 2026): a time of revelry, transformation, and carefree celebrations. In traditional peasant culture, there was less physical work at this time of year, and more laughter, masquerading, noise-making, and community gatherings—everything that helped to bid farewell to winter and prepare for spring. The Museum of Ethnography invites visitors to this liberated world of carnival on February 14, 2026, through a thematic program day.

11:30–12:30 Venue: Collection Exhibition

Hungarian Traditions and Folk Art – Guided Tour in English 

The guided tour offers an introduction to the richness of Hungarian traditions and folk art through the museum’s collection exhibition. Instead of focusing on outstanding masterpieces, the tour highlights cultural heritage as it appears in furniture, costumes, and handcrafted objects. Visitors encounter Matyó embroidery, Székely attire, painted peasant furniture, and the diversity of folk art forms, while gaining insight into their social and cultural contexts.

Meeting point: Central information desk (-2 level) 

14:00–15:40 Venue: Cinema

Busó festivities and other unique local traditions – Carnival-related movies (with English subtitles)

The selection presents the diversity of carnival customs in the Carpathian Basin through archival and contemporary films, focusing on various rituals and terminology.

Films included in the selection:

Anna Raffay – István Szőts: Spinning house in Szamoshát, 1955, 10 minutes

Zsuzsa Börcsök: Panyolai Carnival, 2014, 18 minutes

Lajos Boglár: Women’s Carnival in Mátraalmás, 1967, 14 minutes

Zoltán Dénes: Carnival traditions in Moha, 1994, 11 minutes

László Kovács: The Purifying Coal – Hoping in Novaj, 2022, 34 minutes

Anna Raffay – István Szőts: Busó Festivities in Mohács, 1955, 13 minutes

14:30–15:30 Venue: Damjanich Street entrance hall

HolddalaNap concert – Carnival extravaganza

A carnival-like concert featuring Hungarian, Roma, Andalusian, Peruvian, and African musical motifs. Danceable melodies and songs evoking the theme of love and the liberated world of carnivals.

Guszti Balogh – vocals, guitar

Anna Gulyás – vocals

Dániel Mester – saxophone

Alex Torres (Peru) – guitar, backup vocals

Szabolcs Takács – double bass

Gergely Tar – percussion, backup vocals

17:00–18:00 Venue: Damjanich Street entrance hall

Joint concert by Los Andinos and Kákics bands

The joint concert of the Los Andinos band and the Kákics band showcases the parallels between Hungarian carnival and South American carnival traditions. The show offers an insight into the world of masked games, humorous songs, and rituals.

The Kákics band was formed in Székesfehérvár in 1997. Committed to Hungarian folk music, the band initially organized itself as a group of friends playing music, but soon became a band that regularly performed at concerts and dance houses, known throughout the country by fans of the genre. The repertoire of the Los Andinos band, also formed in Székesfehérvár in 1982, focuses on the folk music of the peoples of the Central Andes in South America. The band's knowledge has been enriched by collecting trips and collaborations with South American folk musicians.

Practical Information

Please note, all programmes and activities will be conducted in Hungarian, except for the English guided tours.
Admission to the programme requires a special event ticket (2,500 HUF), which includes entry to all exhibitions as well as participation in the day’s programmes.
No further discounts apply to this ticket.
Children under 3 may attend free of charge.
Tickets can be purchased and collected at the ticket desks by the entrances, where they will also be checked. Please note that on this day the building will not be freely accessible without a ticket. Online ticket purchase here.
Exhibitions and shops close at 18:00; programmes end at 18:00.

We reserve the right to alter the programme.

Please note that photos and videos may be taken during the event, and some live footage may be streamed. For details on how the Museum of Ethnography manages personal data, please see our Data Management Policy.

Busó traditions and carnival celebrations at the Museum of Ethnography

Practical Information

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