Debrecen4U June 3, 2026

Joint Press Conference Held for Night of Museums in Debrecen

Exhibition venues in Debrecen are once again preparing jointly this year for Night of Museums, coordinating their programmes. Representatives of participating institutions held a press conference about the series of events at Karakter 1517 Bookshop and Café on 2 June 2026.

“On behalf of many people in Debrecen, I can say that Museums Night is one of our most popular events, not only in the summer season but throughout the whole year. A Debrecen like the one seen during Night of Museums is like a dream come true: the city consistently takes on a truly festive yet, in a positive sense, everyday atmosphere that Saturday evening. A similarly charming and lively buzz can be experienced in the city centre during Made in Debrecen and Night of Literature,” said Deputy Mayor István Puskás. He added that this is perhaps the oldest type of downtown cultural event in Debrecen where visitors can encounter the treasures of Debrecen’s culture across multiple venues and with a shared theme, whether from the past or the present. A distinctive feature of Night of Museums is that it is both a national programme and the Debrecen implementation of an international initiative.

Speaking about the programme series, he said it will take place nationwide on 20 June this year, with the aim of presenting the cultural treasures preserved in museums from a slightly different perspective on that evening. A key goal of the event is to embed our shared heritage, whether universal human culture, national culture, or our own local heritage here in Debrecen, more deeply into society’s thinking. He emphasised that in Debrecen, in addition to making visible our shared local cultural heritage and strengthening the sense of belonging to our immediate community, Night of Museums brings together a wide range of museum institutions of different types and maintaining bodies.

István Oláh, president and pastor of the Debrecen Great Reformed Church Congregation, said that they have flavours and experiences in store for Night of Museums, and hopes that anyone visiting them at the Great Church will leave enriched with good tastes and good experiences. He noted that in the Memorial Garden, pastors will be cooking burgers using biblical ingredients, and under the title Flavours, Prayers, Stories they aim to present an aspect of the Great Church’s history that has perhaps not previously been in the spotlight. In addition, there will be an exhibition opening, English-language guided tours, and an organ concert featuring organist Gergő Csorba.

Katalin Vizi, Managing Director of MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts, said that gastronomy will be a focal point alongside the anniversary celebrations at the now 20-year-old MODEM. She noted that cooperation with Hotel Lycium will be further developed during Night of Museums, as the MODEM20 exhibition has inspired the restaurant. The exhibition presenting 20 years of MODEM will be accessible through special guided tours, and in the courtyard visitors will be welcomed by performers from Made in Debrecen. Representatives of 20 years of Hungarian slam poetry will also be present, and in collaboration with the Déri Museum, children will be offered an intensive co-production programme following the adventures of Selyemke and Modemke across four locations: MODEM, the Déri Museum, the Debrecen House of Literature, and the Medgyessy Ferenc Memorial Museum.

Lajos Lakner, Deputy Scientific Director of the Déri Museum, said that programmes will be available not only inside the museum but also on Déri Square, where music will take centre stage. He noted that a new exhibition will open before Night of Museums, offering insight into the relationship between Mihály Munkácsy and his wife Cécile Papier. In the museum’s ceremonial hall, continuing previous traditions, various presentations will be held, including talks on Debrecen bread and traditional flavours. He added that the Debrecen House of Literature and the Medgyessy Ferenc Memorial Museum will also welcome visitors with theatre performances and craft workshops.

Dániel Sárosi, organist and programme organiser of the Debrecen Small Reformed Church, highlighted that the Small Church will offer programmes centred around its 300-year anniversary. In addition to evening events, guided tower tours will be available continuously from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m., and one of the special attractions will be the opening of the clock room, where a clock mechanism from the early 1800s is being restored to working order. Craft activities, lectures, and “organ petting” sessions will also be offered, along with tastings of traditional Debrecen bread and Debrecen sausage.

Dávid Csorba, Director of the Museum of the Debrecen Reformed College, said that the Reformed College is one of the city’s oldest institutions alongside the Déri Museum. They are preparing an literary café and musical performances, with a strong focus on historical heritage. Visitors will learn how students of the College used to eat in earlier times, and programmes will also reach back into antiquity, as the College holds Egyptian artefacts. In addition, guided tours will commemorate the Rákóczi and Mohács anniversaries.

Chief Warrant Officer Róbert Kiss of the MH Bocskai István 11th Armoured Hajdú Brigade said that they will also commemorate Mihály Fazekas, born 260 years ago, who served as a hussar officer in the imperial hussar regiment and took part in the 1788 campaign against the Ottoman Empire. The brigade has therefore themed this year’s exhibition and programme around hussar traditions. Their main venue will be the Hall of Hotel Aranybika, where museum education activities for children will be held. He also noted that their military band, together with the Defence Dance Ensemble, will perform a hussar recruitment display for the public.

A joint wristband ticket will grant entry to all programmes at all museums and participating cultural institutions in Debrecen.

TICKET PRICES
Patron Ticket: HUF 10,000
Adult Ticket: HUF 3,000
Student/Senior Ticket: HUF 1,500
Family Ticket: HUF 5,000 (2 adults and children under 14)
Children aged 0–6: Entry is free of charge

Tickets may be purchased online or in person at the venues.

Participating Institutions

Debrecen Small Reformed Church, Debrecen Reformed College, Debrecen Great Reformed Church, Déri Museum, Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Museum and House of Literature Debrecen, MH István Bocskai 11th Armoured Hajdú Brigade (with the participation of the Debrecen Garrison Band), Modem Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts, Pásti Street Synagogue and the Magda Szabó Memorial House.

Detailed programmes are available in Night of Museums’ Facebook event description.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu