Drawn in by whispers of weather’s past? You have arrived at the Magyar Meteorológiai Gyűjtemény. This is Budapest’s hidden treasure for weather enthusiasts. Let’s step inside.
The Magyar Meteorológiai Gyűjtemény began humbly. It started with Hungary’s Millennial Exhibition in 1896. The Hungarian Royal Institute of Meteorology displayed instruments and photos. This collection became the basis for the future Meteorological Museum.
Director Miklós Konkoly-Thege moved the collection to Ógyalla after the exhibition. An observatory was built there in 1900. The museum’s first catalog appeared in 1902. It listed 355 items. Sixty of those items related to astronomy.
In 1908, the museum relocated to Budapest. By 1911, it housed 744 items. From 1910, the museum thrived in the Institute’s main building. This lasted until wartime havoc struck in 1944.
The war took its toll. Museum rooms were used as offices. The collection suffered neglect and diminished. But the Magyar Meteorológiai Gyűjtemény revived in 1991. The President of the Hungarian Meteorological Service reorganized it.
In 2002, the collection earned state protection. This was on the 100th anniversary of its first catalog. The Ministry of National Cultural Heritage inscribed it. Now officially the meteorological museum collection. It occupies lobbies on three floors of the OMSZ main building. You will see 26 cabinets and 8 frames. Larger objects stand independently.
Today, the Magyar Meteorológiai Gyűjtemény contains 469 items. Exhibits include upper-air and ground measurement instruments. You can find astronomical tools and other devices. Geodesic, air electric, and radioactive tools are present. Look for mementos and awards. There are medals, photos, books and publications. The collection features an ionosphere measuring device. Spot the micro barograph and anemograph. See early computer models and hail suppression rockets.
The Magyar Meteorológiai Gyűjtemény serves as a source for science history. Inscriptions chronicle meteorology’s history. They are arranged chronologically. Retired colleagues helped improve the museum. They identified instruments.
Since its revival, the museum has become a public benefit. It welcomes visitors from Hungary and abroad. Undergraduates and students explore its treasures. The museum saved scientific objects replaced by modern technology. These instruments help interpret older meteorological data. What a legacy. As you leave the Magyar Meteorológiai Gyűjtemény, consider the weather’s long story.