On Saturday, June 20, the shortest night of the year, museums will once again open their doors to visitors. Connected to the traditions of the summer solstice and St. John’s Eve, Debrecen will offer a wide range of special programs: exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, interactive events, family activities, and many surprises that will make Museums’ Night unforgettable.

A single wristband grants entry to all programs at participating museums and cultural institutions in Debrecen.

Ticket Prices

• Patron Ticket: HUF 10,000
• Adult: HUF 3,000
• Student/Senior: HUF 1,500
• Family Ticket: HUF 5,000 (2 adults + children under 14)
• Children aged 0–6: Free

Tickets can be purchased online through the participating institutions’ websites or in person at the venues.

Participating Institutions

• Debrecen Truncated Church (Csonkatemplom)
• Reformed College of Debrecen
• Great Reformed Church of Debrecen
• Déri Museum
• Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Museum and Debrecen House of Literature
• István Bocskai 11th Armored Hajdú Brigade of the Hungarian Defence Forces (with the participation of the Debrecen Garrison Band)
• MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts
• Pásti Street Synagogue
• Magda Szabó Memorial House

Family Adventure Games (16:00–24:00)

Children and families can enjoy exciting detective-style adventure games throughout the evening. The games are not tied to a specific schedule or order. Participants must visit various locations to solve the mysteries.

Booklets are available at the following institutions:

Silkie and Modemke

(MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts, Déri Museum, Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Museum and Debrecen House of Literature)

Recommended age: 6–12

In Search of a Hidden Flag

(Reformed College Museum of Debrecen)

Recommended age: 6–12

Following Mihály Fazekas

(Reformed College Museum of Debrecen)

Recommended age: 6–99

Detailed Programs

Highlighted Program: City Hall Tour

Participants will hear fascinating stories about the building’s history and its latest renovation. They will also learn where Lajos Kossuth and Emperor Franz Joseph once stayed and where the Holy Crown was safeguarded.

• Time: 16:00
• Location: 20 Piac Street, Debrecen
• Duration: 1 hour
• Maximum capacity: 40 participants
• Registration: kultura@ph.debrecen.hu

Great Reformed Church of Debrecen

16:00 – Sewn with Needle and Love – The Taste of Community
Opening of the exhibition by the Tiszta Forrás Embroidery Circle

17:00 – Flavours, Prayers and Stories at the Lord’s Table
Guided by Pastor István Oláh

18:00 – The Flavours of Music – Spices in Fairy Tales and on Harp Strings

18:00–20:00 – Signature Temple Burger from the Ministers’ Table

19:00 – The Flavours of Music – Spices in Fairy Tales and on Harp Strings

19:00 – Landscapes, Eras, Flavours and Moods with the Martin Brass Band

20:00 – Hello, Tourist! English-language guided tour

20:30 – Concert by Trinity Worship

23:30 – Midnight Organ Concert: From Bach to the Caribbean

Déri Museum

Programs on Déri Square

16:00–21:00 – Traditional Folk Playground

17:00–17:30 – Military Band Performance by the Hungarian Defence Forces’ István Bocskai 11th Armored Hajdú Brigade

18:00–18:30 – Melodies from Déri Square performed by students Eleonóra Pauk and Izabella Szabó

19:00–20:00 – Concert by NemDeBár

20:30–21:30 – Concert by Ágnes Kovács and Friends

22:00–22:30 – Fire-juggling performance by Karmazsin and Flaming Snails

Zoltai Lajos Hall

19:00–19:30 – Guided tour with sign-language interpretation of the temporary exhibition
“MISKA and CÉCILE, or What You Should Know About Munkácsy Mihály’s Marriage”
Led by art historian and curator Éva Irén Fodor.

Café

17:00–21:00 – Museum Education Workshop: Mini-Cake Making with the Dwarf Cake Factory. A fun and creative baking activity for children and families, including tasting their own creations. Special attention will be given to visitors with food intolerances.

Ceremonial Hall – Lectures and Demonstrations

16:00 – “Fortune Horn with Ice Cream Flowers” – The Flavours of Magda Szabó
Presented by Tibor Juhász, museologist, writer, and poet

16:30 – Honey Kiss for Cerberus (lecture and tasting)
Presented by Márta P. Szászfalvi

17:00 – Dietary Habits of Medieval Szepes Village Residents
Lecture by archaeologist László Szolnoki

18:00 – “There Is Hardly an Equal to Debrecen Wheat Bread…”
Bread, the Spice of Life (lecture and tasting)

19:30 – Feel the Steel – Interactive Historical Weapons Presentation (English)

20:00 – In Search of Old Debrecen Flavours
Presented by historian Katalin Váradi

21:00 – Rare or Well Done? The Last Meals of Condemned Prisoners

22:00 – Still Lifes from the Gallery
Presented by art historian Annamária Judit Kis

Debrecen House of Literature and Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Exhibition

(28 Péterfia Street)

Courtyard

16:00–24:00 – Melodies of Old Coffeehouses with guitarist Krisztián Szabó

16:00–21:00 – Skill Games for Young Children

16:30–17:00 – HOODIE – Take It Off Already!
Award-winning student theatre performance

17:00–21:00 – Pottery Wheel Workshop with ceramic artist Álmos Gál

Fazekas Garden

17:00–21:00 – My Little Garden – Craft Workshop

17:00–22:00 – My Self-Sustaining Garden – Gardening Advice and Plant Market

Lectures

17:00–17:30 – The Unknown Mihály Fazekas

17:30–18:30 – Learn to Make Kimchi with Bence Szendrei

18:00–18:30 – The Flavours of Magda Szabó

18:30–19:00 – “I Wanted to Capture Colour, But It Was Impossible” – Photographs by Elek Szabó

20:30–21:30 – What Magda Szabó Read – Roundtable Discussion

21:30–22:00 – The Forgotten Tibor Szobotka

22:00–22:30 – The Story of the Várady–Szabó House

Temporary Exhibition: “Thirteen Swans” (Magda Szabó and Memory)

The exhibition explores the relationship between Magda Szabó and her father through family objects, letters, documents, photographs, and a video installation. It examines why the writer, who constantly fought against forgetting, never fully wrote the story of her own family.

19:00–19:30 – Opening by writer and literary translator Noémi Kiss

19:30–20:30 – Guided Tour with Lajos Lakner

21:30–23:30 – Additional Guided Tours

Arcade

17:30–18:00 – Guided Tour by graphic artist János László of the exhibition Culture Animal

Continuous Programs

16:00–24:00 – Walk with Jókai!
A colourful and playful journey through Reform-Era Debrecen led by the famous writer himself.

Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Exhibition

18:30–19:30 – Movement Trapped in Stone – Dance-Themed Guided Tour

István Bocskai 11th Armored Hajdú Brigade

Location: Aranybika Hotel, 11–15 Piac Street, Debrecen

Admission Free

Hussar Spirit Then and Now – Galloping Through Time

16:00–19:00 – Hussar Tale – Museum Education Program for Children

17:30–19:00 – Presentation by the Count Ferenc Nádasdy Hussar Unit

19:00–20:00 – Opening Ceremony and Performance by the Debrecen Garrison Band and the Debrecen Defence Forces Folk Dance Ensemble

Ongoing Programs (16:00–23:00)

• Educational short film: Mihály Fazekas, Lieutenant of the Imperial Hussar Regiment
• Exhibition: 200 Years of Hussar Uniforms
• Historical reenactment display featuring World War I and II weapons and uniforms
• Exhibition of artworks by military artists

MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Arts

16:00 – Guided tour of Margit Kányási Holb: Rituals Embedded in Matter by actress Móni Balsai (with sign-language interpretation)

16:00 – English-language guided tour of Csaba Nemes: Continuous Past by curator Krisztián Gábor Török

16:00 – Guided tour of MODEM20 with actor Ferenc Elek and mediator Dorka Gönczi

16:00 – Parent-and-Baby Music Session in the Inner Garden

16:00–21:00 – MODEM PAD Creative Corner for Children

17:00 – Guided tour of Continuous Past with artist Csaba Nemes

17:00 – Opening of The Unrisen Sun / Sun Frozen in Ice by Emese Kádár

18:00 – Curatorial tour of Rituals Embedded in Matter with poet and critic János Áfra

18:00 – Art Storage Tour with Kata Vizi (registration: regisztracio@modemart.hu)

18:00 – Made in Debrecen Stage featuring Eszter Szentirmai, Attila Bereczki and FunDead

19:00 – Guided tour of MODEM20 with actor János Mercs

19:00 – Made in Debrecen Stage featuring philaūtia

20:00 – Guided tour of Rituals Embedded in Matter with artists Zoltán Fátyol and Viola Fátyol

20:00 – Slam Poetry Evening – 20 Years of Hungarian Slam
Jury: Márton Simon, Zsófia Kemény and Edward Kovács

21:00 – Guided tour of MODEM20 with artistic director Szabolcs Süli-Zakar

21:15 – Folk Enformel – Joint performance by the Hortobágy Folk Dance Ensemble and Egervölgye Dance Workshop

22:00 – Guided tour of Continuous Past with poet Márton Simon

22:00 – Art Storage Tour with Kata Vizi

22:00 – Made in Debrecen Stage featuring Pipacs

23:00 – Made in Debrecen Stage featuring Best Ablak x UnTheGround DJ Set

Tickets are available through the official online platforms of the participating institutions.

Debrecen Truncated Church, Pásti Street Synagogue and Magda Szabó Memorial House

Detailed programs are available at the venues and through official information channels.

Practical Information

• Gates open: 15:30
• Everyone is warmly welcome.

By attending the event, visitors consent to the recording of photographs, video, and audio during the program, which may be used by the institutions for promotional purposes.

The organizers reserve the right to make changes to the program.