The Hungarian Money Museum was established by the Central Bank of Hungary (MNB) as a national specialty museum to increase the financial literacy of the populace. Our permanent exhibition entitled the Path of Money, houses the numismatic collection of the MNB. Our mission is to prove that anyone can understand how money works, using state-of-the-art digital solutions. As we say: “The primary capital of any society lies in the knowledge and skills of its members, which is essential in individual, family, and community life. So, we believe that financial knowledge can make our whole society richer, both literally and metaphorically.
Organisation in charge of best practice
MNB-Edulab LTD., The Hungarian Money Museum and Visitors Center
Location
Budapest, Hungary
Dates
2022-date
Description
The Hungarian Money Museum, founded by the Central Bank of Hungary, serves the development of financial culture, and has a dual function: it houses the MNB numismatic collection as a museum, and
in line with the trend of the world’s central banks and museums it provides experiential knowledge transfer, i.e., entertaining, and engaging visitors.
Visitors’ experience - innovations
If anyone should be intimidated by the modern spectacle of the exhibition due to the many digital “gadgets” in the exhibition, we are happy to reassure everyone that no prior special training or additional knowledge of IT or finance is required, just a natural curiosity and openness to the subject, so the exhibition is accessible for everyone.
To be able to achieve our ambitious goal of engaging the widest strata of the public, and enhance visitors’ experience in all possible ways, visitors need to be amazed from the first moment they enter the museum due to a series of surprises that start to unfold:
- There are two robots moving around in the lobby, welcoming visitors and giving information about the museum.
- The lockers are in the “gold mine” with a real gold nugget in the display where personalization of the RIF cards take place.
- Stimulating state-of-the-art environment and technology in the whole museum space
- Accessible exhibition for everyone. The educational games related to the history and functions of money can be played by people of different educational backgrounds and intellectual abilities.
- Assistance is offered to visitors in each of the five parts of the exhibition.
- Competitive games provide a feeling of achievement.
The Path of Money
Our permanent exhibition is aimed to be a unique entertainment for the general public with opportunities for education about the history of money. The exhibition tells the compelling story of how money has emerged through the centuries and evolved up to its present state – with some glimpses of the future of money (green finances and digital national banks, crypto currencies) – by providing an innovative interactive gamification experience i.e., experiential knowledge transfer, for children and adults, in a state-of-the-art digital technology environment, considered most modern in Hungary, Europe and the rest of the world.
The central element of the visitor experience is a story in the form of a game that spans over the exhibition, and can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, where they can collect virtual hypothetical assets by solving quizzes and game situations.
Visitors are part of the story, the proposed research, where they can experience for themselves why the milestones of the evolution of the economy (money, banking system, reserves, etc.) are so important.
The gamification experience ensures fun and knowledge transfer for the players, who can increase their virtual financial wealth as they go through the exhibition by using their acquired knowledge.
The feeling of achievement is an important feature of the virtual wealth accumulation game, which can encourage players to participate again and achieve better results.
Within the main story line, there are several finance related stories from Hungarian history presented in the relevant parts of the exhibition. One of the most riveting and hugely popular stories is the “Story of the Gold Train of the Central Bank of Hungary”, about which an animated film can be watched on a tabletop display.
How technology is used to support the museum's work:
The operation of the Money Museum is based on technology. It provides visitors a unique experience through experiential knowledge transfer in the five nodes of the exhibition in an entertaining and engaging way. This magnetic tool not only attracts visitors, but they also stick around, inspired to come back for more “clicking”, which is undoubtedly a significant factor in increasing the number of visitors. Digital technology is also used in online booking, as well as the registration of the museum objects.
Initiatives in the field of environmental and social sustainability:
The renovation of the museum building was completed last year, equipped with the most modern insulation and an efficient heating system.
The Money Museum takes responsibility for demonstrating its ecological attitude in all aspects of the building and its operation not merely to save energy, but also to promote sustainable methods that visitors might be able to follow. Our consciousness regarding energy manifests itself from keeping the temperature down at 18 degrees Celsius in winter, both in the exhibition and offices, through collecting waste selectively in the lobby and café, to the stools in Node III decorated with pieces of crushed (recycled) money withdrawn from circulation.
To reduce the use of paper we channel promotional material onto social media platforms and website as much as possible. As admission is free to the museum and booking visits (which is mandatory before entering) takes place online, no paper is used for tickets or receipts.
Issues of sustainability and environmental protection are also included in Node IV. in the Future of Money installation, where the increasingly important field of green finance is touched on. We maintain special partnership with the Budapest Centre for Long-term Sustainability.
A series of museum education weekend programs titled Tales from the Money Museum is organized for families with small children, the topics of which include environmental issues such as Guardians of the Forest.
Although our primary target group is students in grades 7-12, the Hungarian Money Museum is on the right track to become a centre for financial education and culture in Hungary by providing guided tours and museum education (personal mediation) to school groups, families, individual visitors, professionals.
The museum functions as an extended experience space. We have professional relations
(competitions, national or international events, Book launches) with:
- Money Compass Foundation
- Hungarian Schooling Networks
- Member of the Global Money Week Event
- ESCB
- Hungarian Economic Association
- Pallas Athéné Books
We are also present at student-centric events, such as:
- SZIN
- EFOTT, CAMPUS
- BME
- Museums
- Tusványos – Free Summer University
Extra publications about the museum in the media:
https://www.vg.hu/kozelet/2023/03/egy-eves-a-penzmuzeum-rengeteg-program-varj\a-az-erdeklodoket
https://www.penzcentrum.hu/szorakozas/20211001/uj-muzeum-nyilik-budapesten-ez-lesz-benne-a-kulonlegesrengeteg-penzrol-van-szo-1118230
https://www.penzcentrum.hu/szorakozas/20211222/hamarosan-nyilik-a-magyar-penz\muzeum-hihetetlen-ertekukincseket-allitanak-ki-1120503
https://pestbuda.hu/cikk/20211223*marciusra_elkeszul_a_penzmuzeum_az_egykori*\postapalotaban
https://www.origo.hu/gazdasag/20230314-penzmuzeum-elso-ev-unnepseg-erdeklodes.html
https://www.origo.hu/itthon/20230511-ujabb-szakmai-elismeresben-reszesult-a-p\enzmuzeum.html
https://index.hu/kultur/2021/12/22/nalunk-is-lesz-penzmuzeum-most-epul/
https://hirado.hu/kultura-eletmod/cikk/2021/10/10/europa-leglatvanyosabb-penz\muzeuma-budapesten-nyiltjameg-kapujat
https://novekedes.hu/hirek/tudta-hogy-valaha-a-penzmuzeum-helyen-banyato-volt-idoszaki-tarlat-meseli-el-ahely-tortenetet
https://novekedes.hu/hirek/minden-varakozast-felulmult-a-penzmuzeum-nepszerus\ege
https://novekedes.hu/hirek/mar-a-100-ezer-latogatohoz-kozelit-a-szakmai-elism\eresben-reszesult-penzmuzeum
https://index.hu/gazdasag/2022/03/15/penzmuzeum-postapalota-bankjegynyomtatas/
https://novekedes.hu/hirek/matolcsy-gyorgy-62306a306dea8
https://www.magyarhirlap.hu/gazdasag/20230310-a-penz7-programsorozat-keretebe\n-a-koztarsasagi-elnok-ferjeis-bekapcsolodott-a-penzmuzeum-rendhagyo-tarlatve\zetesebe
https://hellomagyar.hu/2022/09/11/hatalmas-erdeklodes-elkapraztat-a-penzmuzeu\m-ingyen-a-penzrol/
Links
Resources needed
For the continuous renewability of the museum, visitor feedback and social contacts are essential: • Diverse, cultural, and educational institutional relations, museological cooperation • Social Media • Virtual tour • Mobile application • Tablets • Feedback on the website (virtual Guest Book, evaluation questionnaire) https://www.penzmuzeum.hu/aktualis/hirek/ujabb-szakmai-elismeresben-reszesult-a-penzmuzeum/ https://mokk.skanzen.hu/20230511a-kozossegek-hete-kereteben-tatan-adtak-at-a-kozossegi-muzeum-elismerocimeket
Challenges encountered
The Money Museum has received another professional recognition! 11 May 2023 – The Money Museum received the Community Museum Award, which recognizes that the museum actively involves the local population and civil communities in its operations and shapes the museum's educational activities by listening to their opinions. Today, the Museum Education and Methodology Centre presented the Hungarian Money Museum with the Community Museum accolade. The title was awarded to museum institutions that involve local populations, civil communities, and other partners in their work. The Money Museum – which has attracted 94,000 visitors since its opening on 15 March 2022 – pays special attention to visitor feedback. With the conscious, continuous, and active involvement of communities, their practical participation and taking into account their opinions, it implements the development of certain areas, be it museum pedagogical activities, the development of the themes of temporary exhibitions or even the development of financial competitions. In 2022 (the museum first opened on 15th March): Number of groups Kindergarten: 2 Primary school: 439 Secondary school: 462 Other: 60 Total number of groups: 968 Accompanying teachers: 1 330 Number of visitors: From schools: 16 127 Individual: 50 882 Total number of visitors: 67 009.
Evidence of success
Museum data highlights: Our brand-new museum is a high-quality, experience-based, freely accessible, authentic base for financial education. Our Mission: • Fulfilling the social responsibility of the Central Bank of Hungary • Usable financial knowledge available to everyone • Access is provided to everyone, free of charge Functions: • National specialised museum • Enhancing financial literacy Edutainment is our focus: • 1300 m2 80 game terminals • 50 installations 170 animations • 500 m2 of artwork • 60 thousand-piece coin collection • 1462 objects are exhibited in the permanent exhibition. • accessible museum space Actual exhibitions: • Permanent – The Way of Money • Temporary – "Value saving - value creation" – and "The birth of the Postal Palace" Since opening, we have been operating at maximum capacity: • Fully booked since opening day • 94 thousand people have seen it (1700 guided tours for student groups = 30 thousand students) • In 2023 7000 group and 14 thousand individual visitors • More than 150 student groups, more than 2000 students attended the museum's educational workshops. • Special Needs groups (Wheelchair-users, hearing, visually, or mentally handicapped visitors)
Potential for transfer
The Money Museum and Visitors Center has been featured in a number of articles. We have chosen three of them in chronological order, the first article details the opening of the museum, the second is about how we achieved a year of fully-booked operation, while the last is about the latest award the museum managed to win. https://www.origo.hu/gazdasag/20220316-mnb-penzmuzeum-megnyito-latogatokozpont.html https://www.vg.hu/kozelet/2023/03/egy-eves-a-penzmuzeum-rengeteg-program-varja-az-erdeklodoket https://mokk.skanzen.hu/20230511a-kozossegek-hete-kereteben-tatan-adtak-at-a-kozossegi-muzeum-elismero-cimeket
Further Information
Outreach programmes include cooperation with senior and different disadvantaged groups of all ages. Social responsibility is an important priority of the management of the museum. Groups organised by the Hungarian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are regular visitors of the museum, which requires still another approach and special skills of our guides (speaking slowly and articulately or accommodating to the sign language interpreter). Short description of our voluntary work: Secondary school and college students take part in giving information, ushering visitors and assisting in museum education sessions on special weekends. For responding to community concerns we have recently expanded our cloakroom facility for larger stuff of families arriving with children. The exhibition is now available in three languages: Hungarian, English, and Chinese. Museum facilities: - Museum education room, where in addition to the exhibition space, pre-booked museum education sessions can be held. - Museum café in the lobby is an excellent meeting place both for visitors, and anyone who just pops in to look around and get inspired to come to visit the museum. The café on the top floor of the spectacular corner tower of the building is to be opened soon. - Book Spot, also located in the lobby, offers professional, authentic, and up-to-date literature for understanding the most important topics in the modern economy. - Museum shop is also located in the lobby, where publications, museum gifts and souvenirs specifically for young people can be purchased. - Toilets are located on the - 1 floor (basement) in the cloak room area, and on the first floor. - A library and repository keeping records of cultural properties is open to the public on appointment, and it also provides a research service. The museum is accessible by public transport, parking is available in nearby streets, and the whole area of the museum is accessible for wheelchair users.
Get in touch
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