Jessica Reid | 27 January 2022

Hungary's House of Music opens to the public

Located in Budapest's City Park, the architect-designed museum is dedicated to telling the history of music in Hungary

2 mins

From above, it may look like a large crumpet. From below, it could be a mushroom. But no, this building is Hungary’s newest cultural landmark.

The House of Music is a brand-new museum designed by renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, and is part of the country’s ambitious Liget project, the largest cultural development initiative in Europe.

The remarkable structure can be found nestled between the trees in Budapest’s City Park. Its large glass walls are topped with an enormous canopy, studded with holes of varying sizes, allowing light to beam down but also making way for trees to grow up and through.

The 9,000-square-metre institution will offer a unique musical experience, combining architecture, natural landscape and modern exhibitions.

The underground museum will include a permanent interactive exhibition, inviting visitors to explore the history of Hungary’s music and how it has influenced music around the world. Temporary exhibitions can also be expected, starting with a survey of Hungary’s pop music between 1957-1993.

Another highlight is the hemispherical sound dome, which emits sound in every direction from 31 speakers. It provides the opportunity to create sound installations and also host small concerts.

Discover more about the House of Music here or take a look at our gallery of images below.