Filling a gap in the educational and cultural sphere, the Hungarian Money Museum was established by the Central Bank of Hungary with the aim of raising interest in financial culture among all age groups of contemporary society. The palace that houses the museum is a listed building, renovated inside and out, faithfully reflecting the architectural heritage of architect Gyula Sándy, while its interior and exhibition are rejuvenated with state-of-the-art digital technology and modern design of the 21st century.
The museum’s permanent exhibition, entitled "The Path of Money," also comprises the numismatic collection of the Central Bank of Hungary. It integrates into the national and international institutional network of public collections as a national specialty museum.
The Path of Money – Permanent Exhibition
The museological concept is based on two significant elements (besides taking care of and managing our unique coin collection): providing an entertaining exhibition to the general public and offering educational opportunities about history, specifically the history of money. The exhibition tells the compelling story of how money has emerged through history and evolved up to the present—with glimpses into the future of money—by providing an innovative gamification experience. Visitors make decisions within digital games, considered very modern in Hungary, Europe, and the rest of the world.
The exhibition is organized around five thematic spaces, or "nodes/hubs," not only following a historical line but also exploring the functions of money:
I. Measure of Value
II. Means of Circulation
III. Means of Payment
IV. World Money Function
V. Store of Wealth and a Means of Accumulation
The history of money is explained within these five nodes (hubs) of the exhibition, linked by a frame story. The central element of the visitor experience is this frame story in the form of a game that spans the entire exhibition and can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. In the game, visitors collect virtual hypothetical assets by solving quizzes and game situations.
The permanent characters of the story are two virtual research assistants (VRS) and the visitors themselves. The VRS appear at each research point installation, guiding and assisting visitors through a video feed, introducing them to the node, and hosting and evaluating the game. One character is a man named Peter, who has good intentions but is a bit dreamy, sticking to his slightly exaggerated theories. The other is a woman named Anna, who thinks rationally, recommends examining issues thoroughly, researching them, and then drawing conclusions.
Visitors are part of the proposed research, where they can experience for themselves why the cornerstones of the evolution of the economy (money, the banking system, reserves, etc.) are so important. The gamification experience ensures fun and knowledge transfer for players, who can increase their virtual financial wealth by using the knowledge they acquire as they progress through the exhibition.
interactive trading game in the Money Museum's second node
Experiential Knowledge Transfer – Edutainment
In line with the trend of the world’s leading museums and central banks, the museum provides innovative experiential knowledge transfer, also known as edutainment. It entertains and engages visitors, enabling them to discover authentic knowledge themselves. The museum offers an interactive, entertaining way to learn about the operation of economic and financial processes, the basic rules of money use, and the activities of the Central Bank of Hungary in a state-of-the-art digital technology environment.
Steps of Museum Learning
1. Introduction by a personal mediator (educator) or virtual assistants on video.
2. Explanation of the basic situation of the given node, introducing the topic through a game situation.
3. After the video is played, the educator provides necessary explanations and then conducts the interactive part, a financial, economic decision game, while respecting the time frame. Individual visitors can also tackle the games independently with the help of the VRS.
4. The system aggregates and displays individual results on the game terminals.
5. The experience is contextualized by a new video feed, which also sets the stage for the next installation in the following node.
The feeling of achievement is an important feature of the virtual wealth accumulation game, encouraging players to participate again and achieve better results. This can even lure visitors back to the museum repeatedly, allowing them to learn more and beat their previous records while accumulating greater virtual wealth with increased knowledge.
Participation in the research series games is optional, and the exhibition is fully enjoyable by reading stories about the exhibits and watching animated films about the history of money. However, the game experience, which strengthens knowledge and increases virtual financial wealth, helps deepen the museum experience.
Stories Communicated in the Exhibition
Within the main storyline, several finance-related stories from Hungarian history are presented in relevant parts of the exhibition. One of the most popular stories is the "Story of the Gold Train of the Central Bank of Hungary," which resembles the plot of an adventure film. A sculpture by Hungarian artist Gábor Miklós Szőke, titled "The Rumble," commemorates the central bank employees who, after World War II, fled to the West on a train with Hungary’s gold reserves. With American support, they safely transported the nation’s gold reserves back home. "The Rumble" is part of the permanent exhibition and is also an open-air sculpture on a public square. The 13-meter-long work of art gives the impression of a locomotive in motion, bursting through the museum walls out into Széll Kálmán Square, crossing both space and time. An animated film, viewable on a tabletop display, tells the story of the Central Bank of Hungary’s Gold Train.
This story, meticulously researched and presented in the exhibition, is one that the general public was largely unaware of. It is heart-warming and strengthens our national identity.
The building at night
Target Groups
Although the primary target group is students in grades 7-12, the Hungarian Money Museum aims to become a center for financial education and culture in Hungary. It provides guided tours and museum education (personal mediation) to school groups, families, individual visitors, and professionals (numismatics enthusiasts, teachers, lecturers, and university students who can also carry out research projects here). Tourists from around the world are also welcome, with most of the exhibit’s content available in English and Chinese, besides Hungarian.
Events and Temporary Exhibitions
As a national specialty museum, the Hungarian Money Museum organizes temporary exhibitions and events aligned with the scope of its collection. It offers regular cultural education and museum pedagogy services in line with the National Core Curriculum, maintains a library and repository, and provides research services.
Conclusion
The exhibition space offers many experiences and adventures, all of which help visitors gain new insights into the circulation, use, and history of money around the world, especially in Hungary. Our mission is to demonstrate that anyone can understand how money works. This knowledge is essential in individual, family, and community life, which is why we believe that understanding currency use can make our society richer, both literally and metaphorically.