Debrecen4U
October 29, 2025
Design competition entries for the Hungarian Transport Museum building in Debrecen have been evaluated
The judging committee assessed the entries received for the design competition for the Hungarian Transport Museum building in Debrecen on Tuesday in the building of the Ministry of Construction and Transport.
Last May, János Lázár, the Minister of Construction and Transport, revealed in the Debrecen Television program Public Affairs Extra that they plan to build the new Transport Museum in the “cívis” city near the BMW plant.
The ministry subsequently successfully conducted an ideas competition, to which 18 entries were received. The jury found the design of the architectural firm Archiko Kft. to be the best of these, and eight others were also awarded. After analyzing these, this summer the ministry announced an architectural design competition for the construction of the Hungarian Museum of Transport in Debrecen; the submitted entries were evaluated on Monday.
Regő Lánszki, State Secretary for Architecture at the Ministry of Construction and Transport, said at the request of Médiacentrum Debrecen that all the elements from the awarded applications received for the previous idea competition that were considered important and useful were incorporated into the specific design competition.
“Nowadays, a museum is no longer just about presenting a collection but also a meeting and educational space, and it also cooperates with market enterprises. A transport museum should not be a showcase where we only collect cars, trains, and old relics, but should also look to the future—so it was not by chance that Debrecen and the area next to the BMW plant were chosen. In addition to museum professional aspects, sustainability also plays a prominent role, and they would also like an iconic museum building to be built in Debrecen—something that everyone who travels there will look up to,” stated the State Secretary, adding that they would closely cooperate with BMW.
In response to Médiacentrum Debrecen’s question, the State Secretary said that the government’s position is clear: they want to build the new Hungarian Transport Museum in Debrecen. They would like to reduce the country’s centralization.
Mayor László Papp told Médiacentrum Debrecen that the design competition received numerous entries that fit the idea of “Debrecen should be enriched with an institution that has an international impact in terms of architecture and function.” According to the mayor, the museum, which will be built on a site that is easily accessible from the city center, “will be able to show good synergy with a high-tech, new automotive industry unit that is generating great interest.”
László Papp emphasized that the automotive industry—which is currently undergoing a major technological shift—is one of the most innovative areas of development in the world. He sees what transportation will be like in ten, twenty, or fifty years is now one of the most interesting questions; thus, the Hungarian Museum of Transport will also be able to focus this increased interest on itself.
László Papp recalled that he and Viktor Orbán first discussed the D2030 program in 2016, and they agreed that if they wanted Hungary to be more than just about Budapest, an important tool could be to allow institutions of national or international importance to be located in large rural cities.
“I think it is a healthy thing if a country has several powerful cities that have a mobilizing and supportive force in terms of their region. I think Debrecen—also due to its proximity to the border—can be measured on an international scale due to its recent economic and educational development. The development of both the Hungarian Transport Museum and the Hungarian Natural History Museum will help this process,” he stated.
The results of the design competition will be announced in the near future.
Source:dehir.hu | Photo credit:debrecen.hu
