Debrecen4U April 10, 2026

City History Walks for Children in Debrecen to Continue in 2026

Following the spring break, and running until the end of the school year, third and fourth-year primary school pupils in Debrecen are once again invited to take part in the city history walks launched for them last year. Details were presented at a press conference on 9 April 2026 in front of the Déri Museum by Deputy Mayor István Puskás, László Türk, Director of the Debrecen School District Centre, and tour guides from the participating institutions.

Deputy Mayor István Puskás recalled that the city council launched this important programme a year ago through the Cultural Department of the Mayor’s Office, in cooperation with the Debrecen School District Centre and cultural institutions. Its aim is to strengthen local identity among Debrecen’s children through city history walks, enabling them to encounter well-known, lesser-known and hidden values of the city, as well as its history. The goal is not merely to provide information, but also to foster an emotional attachment to their place of residence. According to the Deputy Mayor, this can only be achieved with the involvement of dedicated professionals such as the staff of the institutions organising the walks. István Puskás highlighted that, following last year’s spring and autumn series, this year’s spring programme will already be the third series. He also emphasised that the knowledge gained during the walks is passed on by the children, reaching not only participants but also their classmates, friends, parents and grandparents. In this way, each programme may touch several thousand residents of Debrecen and contribute to building a community with a stronger attachment to the city. István Puskás expressed his thanks in advance to all contributors this year and noted that the city intends to continue offering city history walks to children and schools in the coming years.

As explained by László Türk, Director of the Debrecen School District Centre, “experiential learning” is a fashionable term in the twenty-first century. In Debrecen, however, thanks to the cooperation of the city, cultural institutions and the teachers of the Debrecen School District Centre, this concept is given real substance through city history walks. During these walks, children do not learn while sitting at desks, from books or by reciting lessons, but through real-life experiences. Figures show that when the programme was launched a year ago, a total of 37 walk dates were announced, attracting more than 1,000 children from 11 schools. In autumn, nearly 1,100 pupils from 14 schools took part in 43 sessions. In spring 2026, more than 1,000 children from 16 primary schools are expected across 40 walk dates. It can therefore be said that participation across the first two series and the upcoming third has remained consistently between 1,000 and 1,100, amounting to more than 3,000 third- and fourth-year pupils overall. László Türk is convinced that experiential learning benefits everyone: children learn about the city almost without noticing; teachers gain new knowledge while accompanying different groups; and parents benefit as children share their experiences at home. The Debrecen School District Centre, as the maintainer of the participating schools, also benefits by effectively receiving these programmes as “reward lessons” from the city and organising institutions. The spring programme dates were booked very quickly, and schools have already indicated demand for even more such programmes, both in number and thematic range. The current offer is already rich, including themes such as: the history of printing in Debrecen and the Méliusz Juhász Péter Library; children’s “paradises” in the old Great Forest; Újkert past and present; adventure in the Tócó Valley; discovering the secrets of Józsa; time travel in Csapókert; a “UFO over the city” walk to the Dobozi Garden water tower; Mihály Fazekas’s Lúdas Matyi; “heritage frozen in time” in Józsa; a Tócóskert walk; centuries of history from the lake to the museums; the Teddy Bear Fountain; and an Olympic history walk in the city centre linked to the Hungarian Day of Sport. Although each child attends only one walk, many have expressed interest in participating in more, should this be possible in the future. The Debrecen School District Centre expressed its gratitude for both past and present opportunities provided by the city and partner institutions.

Staff members from institutions participating in the walks also attended the press conference. Kitti Csőke, an art educator at the MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts, highlighted that they regularly offer storytelling sessions for children from nursery age up to Year 5. Their city history walks are aimed at Year 3 pupils and incorporate elements of storytelling. Inspired partly by her own childhood experiences, Kitti Csőke’s walk titled The Teddy Bear Fountain starts from the well-known Medgyessy statue in Debrecen, with the “bear” guiding children to discover animal motifs in the city centre. During the seven-stop walk, children complete various movement-based and literary tasks. Experience so far shows that children greatly enjoy the programme and participate enthusiastically.

Katalin Váradi, a staff member of the historical department of the Déri Museum, developed their walk together with colleagues specialising in museum education. Similar walks have been organised within the museum for years, and these have been adapted to be even more engaging and interactive for children. Methods include using replicas of artefacts, “treasure hunts” inspired by archaeological work, and incorporating art historical and botanical knowledge. According to their experience, children enjoy these walks, become more interested in visiting museums, connect prior knowledge with new information, and confidently ask questions that lead to meaningful discussions.

Tamás Attila Vass, a local history researcher at Méliusz Juhász Péter Library, noted that through the library’s branch network, children can become acquainted with the history of virtually every part of the city. Each walk focuses on the landmarks and historical events of a specific district. For example, children learn how the Dobozi housing estate water tower was built, what Újkert was like when it still had family houses and wine presses, and what the Great Forest was like when the old spa, stadium and boating lake still existed. They also learn about the history of the zoo. One particularly positive experience has been that children are not only open but also well informed—even about events their parents may not have experienced, and which perhaps only their grandparents remember. Library staff have also been pleased to see that parents and grandparents, impressed by the programmes, have expressed interest in similar opportunities for themselves. As a result, adult city walks have already been introduced, with further initiatives under consideration. It may therefore be worthwhile to consider expanding the programme at a city-wide level.

Zoltán Váradi, Managing Director of Nagyerdei Kultúrpark Nonprofit Kft., recalled that he joined the initiative during his earlier work connected to his Natural History collection. These walks focused on Sámuel Diószegi, the botanical garden, the Bird Park promenade in the Great Forest, and Debrecen’s protected trees. This year, within the framework of the city history walks, the amusement park will be opened to children—albeit in a different way. During the walks, children will learn about the history of the amusement park, including historically significant rides such as the dodgems and the carousel, and how people used to spend their leisure time there. The programme also commemorates the 260th anniversary of the birth of Mihály Fazekas, author of Lúdas Matyi, after whom the amusement park is named. In connection with Fazekas, Sámuel Diószegi will also be discussed, as the two co-authored a Hungarian herbal book, and the walk will be complemented by a botanical session.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu