After more than two centuries, one of Europe’s most significant natural history collections will find a new home: The Museum of the Future and its Collection Center are being built in Debrecen.
For the first time in over 100 years, a dedicated exhibition building and collection center tailored specifically to the needs of the Hungarian Natural History Museum will be constructed. This complex will serve as Hungary’s premier site for nature conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable development, functioning as both an experiential and scientific hub. According to the government’s decision, the new exhibition building and Collection Center in Debrecen will become a major cultural-scientific community institution in Central Europe, as well as one of the largest and most modern natural history research and exhibition sites in Europe. The Hungarian government aims to establish a unique center for collection management, digitalization, and education, serving as a model project realized through the interaction of the museum’s two locations in Debrecen.
The Hungarian Natural History Museum’s collection is the largest natural history and anthropological collection in the Carpathian Basin, containing over 11 million natural objects, including 360,000 species. Zsolt Bernert, Director General of the museum, stated:
“For over 100 years, the nation has awaited its own independent Natural History Museum, where it can house and present, in line with modern standards, the collection that originated from the rock collection donated in 1803 by Count Széchényi Ferenc’s wife, Julianna Festetics, and which has now grown to over 11 million items. The new exhibition building and associated Collection Center will be tailored to the needs of the institution and its collection, fully supporting its educational and research activities, while operating in harmony with the natural environment.”
A Unique Greenfield Investment in the Region
The Hungarian Natural History Museum Collection Center – a unique greenfield project in Central Europe – will cover nearly 43,000 m², housing world-class collection and display storage, research workshops, and laboratories. The new Debrecen center for collection, research, education, and digitalization will serve as a base for natural science research, supporting collection, organization, and research services. It will also become a leading European center for basic and applied international research in natural sciences, focusing on biological and geological diversity, employing the most advanced 21st-century technological innovations in R&D and knowledge dissemination. The investment in the Debrecen Science Park provides a long-term solution to the collection and storage challenges of the Carpathian Basin’s largest natural history and anthropological collections.
The international architectural competition called for a building that ensures controlled storage of collections, uninterrupted research, and the creation and preservation of knowledge. The winning consortium – Sordo Madaleno Ltd. // Építész Stúdió Kft. // Buro Happold Ltd. – designed a single, compact, strong rectangular volume, featuring rational interior organization and a layered, solid façade reflecting the region’s geological characteristics.
“The Collection Center is far more than a background facility for Debrecen. It is a knowledge base that will make the city one of Hungary’s most important centers for natural sciences. Proximity to the University of Debrecen allows research, education, and museum practice to integrate in an unprecedented, daily cooperation. Here, we not only preserve the nation’s natural heritage, but actively support future researchers, educators, and professionals. This center will strengthen Debrecen’s intellectual capacity long-term and elevate the city on the international scientific map,” said Lajos Barcsa, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen and member of the judging committee.
The award-winning design balances the responsibility of preserving highly valuable collections with ensuring the comfort of staff, creating an environment where objects receive the highest level of professional care. The jury noted that the plan effectively supports the function of a background facility: the 43,000 m² Collection and Research Center optimizes the arrangement of storage, labs, and digitalization workshops, ensuring long-term preservation of collections, uninterrupted research, and efficient international scientific collaboration. Special attention was given to sustainability, safety, and innovative logistics related to the collections.
A Purpose-Built Environment in Debrecen
The Collection Center will arrive in a setting that supports its operation not only physically but also functionally, allowing scientists to work closely together in research and knowledge-sharing. The Science Park is currently the country’s only university-linked industrial park that combines R&D, consultancy, and service activities with practical education, while offering the potential for a globally significant innovation and technology platform.
Two Locations Within the City
“The exhibition building and Collection Center will be located separately within the city: the museum building will be in the city center, in Nagyerdő on the site of the old Loki stadium, surrounded by unique natural scenery and easily accessible for visitors. The Collection Center will be housed in the university’s industrial park. Separation of the exhibition and collection buildings is not new; it follows international trends, such as the Natural History Museum in London, whose exhibition building is in the city center while its new storage and digitalization center is in Wokingham, at the Thames Valley Science Park. Similarly, in Hungary, the restoration and storage centers of the Museum of Fine Arts, National Gallery, and Museum of Ethnography are outside the City Park,” emphasized Ferenc Kun, CEO of Debreceni Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Kft., responsible for implementing the Debrecen complex.
Separate locations in Debrecen allow better alignment with urban design requirements and functional needs. Collection work can proceed independently of the exhibition building’s opening, enabling more efficient preparation. Both buildings will be a few kilometers apart, allowing efficient researcher movement between the two sites.
A Cutting-Edge Museum Complex – The Debrecen Exhibition Building of the Hungarian Natural History Museum
A few months ago, the international architectural competition concluded, selecting a design by the world-renowned Danish Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and the Hungarian Vikár & Lukács Architectural Studio. The iconic building will function as a museum, scientific center, ecological symbol, and community space, presenting the relationship between nature and humans in a new dimension. Its design and construction combine the most advanced 21st-century technologies, creating an iconic landmark and a new chapter in Hungarian museum architecture.
The new building will be sustainable and actively contribute to the ecological renewal of Nagyerdő. On the former Oláh Gábor Street stadium site, the 23,000 m² complex will include an inner garden, while the green roof, planted with native species, naturally extends the forest canopy. The building’s form and mass integrate into the environment with minimal visual impact, encouraging the return of wildlife.
Connecting Debrecen to International Cultural and Scientific Networks
The new institution aims to engage populations across regional borders, including Partium, Transcarpathia, and eastern Slovakia. This is especially significant for Debrecen, as the city’s scientific and cultural prominence is underpinned by the world-class University of Debrecen. The university ensures a continuous pipeline of professionals and provides a unique scientific community and support network, offering unparalleled opportunities for students and researchers while maintaining the highest professional standards for the museum. As a result, Debrecen will become a regional center that serves scientific, cultural, and community functions and establishes itself as a major player in international cultural life.
About the Winning Consortium
Sordo Madaleno Ltd., with offices in Mexico and London, has designed notable buildings from Mexico to Spain and Egypt. Their philosophy emphasizes architecture emerging from its context: terrain, tradition, memory, and intergenerational connections.
Építész Stúdió Kft. is known for projects such as the CIB Bank office building, Népliget Center, Kodály Center in Pécs, and the 2016 renovation of Széll Kálmán Square.
Buro Happold is a global architecture and engineering network specializing in landmark building façades, from New York’s narrowest skyscraper to large-scale residential developments in London.
All three offices share a commitment to sustainability and integrate traditional approaches within 21st-century environmental and functional requirements.
