House of Terror Museum

About House of Terror Museum

The House of Terror Museum is a memorial museum located on Andrássy Avenue in Budapest. It occupies a building that served as headquarters for the Nazi Arrow Cross Party and later the Soviet-aligned ÁVH secret police. The museum documents the fascist and communist regimes that ruled Hungary in the twentieth century. Exhibits examine political persecution, interrogation methods, and the machinery of totalitarian control. The exterior features a prominent black frame structure with the word TERROR cut into it, creating a striking visual statement about the building's historical significance. The museum is closed Monday. A lift serves exhibition floors, but the basement memorial route, narrow historic spaces and some thresholds limit a completely step-free visit. House of Terror Museum: Open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00; closed Monday. Ticket sales and last admission end before closing. Standard adult admission is HUF 4,000; audioguide and temporary programmes can cost extra. A lift serves exhibition floors, but the basement memorial route, narrow historic spaces and some thresholds limit a completely step-free visit. The museum is at Andrássy út 60. Use Vörösmarty utca station on metro M1 or trolleybuses 72 and 76. House of Terror occupies the former headquarters used by Hungary’s Arrow Cross and communist political police. Its chronological exhibition addresses both regimes through original spaces, documents, audiovisual installations and the basement memorial route. The lift assists movement between principal floors, but the historic basement, thresholds and narrow rooms prevent a fully step-free circuit.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

What's inside

The museum contains permanent exhibitions spread across multiple floors. Visitors encounter reconstructed prison cells, interrogation rooms, and the basement where detainees were held. Display cases hold personal belongings of victims, propaganda materials, and historical documents. Video testimonies from survivors provide firsthand accounts of imprisonment and torture. The building's interior preserves original architectural elements from its period as a security services headquarters. A tank sits in the central atrium. The exhibition design employs dramatic lighting and soundscapes to create an immersive atmosphere confronting visitors with the reality of state terror. It opens Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00. The museum is at Andrássy út 60. Use Vörösmarty utca station on metro M1 or trolleybuses 72 and 76.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

How long to spend

Most visitors spend between one and two hours exploring the House of Terror Museum. The comprehensive exhibition rewards careful reading of information panels and extended viewing of documentary materials. Those with particular interest in Hungarian twentieth-century history or memorial museums may wish to allocate additional time. The basement section with reconstructed cells requires separate attention and contributes significantly to overall visit duration. Audio guides, if available, extend the experience. Visitors should consider their own stamina regarding emotionally demanding content when planning their schedule, as the subject matter proves intense and potentially draining. Standard adult admission is HUF 4,000. Allow two hours for the chronological exhibition and basement memorial route.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Season and crowds

Open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00; closed Monday. Ticket sales and last admission end before closing. Allow two hours for the chronological exhibition and basement memorial route. Ceremonies, worship, weather and dated operations can replace the ordinary pattern. No. Lifts help, but basement and historic interior routes remain limited. Vörösmarty utca M1 station is the closest metro stop on Andrássy Avenue.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Tickets

Standard adult admission is HUF 4,000; audioguide and temporary programmes can cost extra. The base amount is stated in Hungarian forints. Tours, interiors, baths, rentals and separately controlled areas remain excluded unless explicitly included. Vörösmarty utca on M1 is directly on Andrássy Avenue nearby.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Getting there

The museum is at Andrássy út 60. Use Vörösmarty utca station on metro M1 or trolleybuses 72 and 76. Use the named entrance or stop because hill gradients, restricted roads and underground routes change the practical approach. Allow about two hours for the chronological exhibition route.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

What to watch out for

A lift serves exhibition floors, but the basement memorial route, narrow historic spaces and some thresholds limit a completely step-free visit. The museum is closed Monday. It opens Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00. Standard adult admission is HUF 4,000. Historic stairs, low light, crowds and security remain relevant. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00; closed Monday. Ticket sales and last admission end before closing.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Photography

Visitors should observe posted signage regarding camera use and respect staff instructions. Memorial museums frequently restrict photography in areas containing human remains, personal artifacts of victims, or spaces designated for quiet contemplation. Flash photography may be prohibited throughout to protect sensitive exhibits. Video recording and commercial photography typically require advance permission. The distinctive exterior with its TERROR lettering and tank installation offers unrestricted photography opportunities from the public street. Standard adult admission is HUF 4,000; audioguide and temporary programmes can cost extra.

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Where it is

• 45 min

  6 min walk

  Franz Liszt Academy of Music

  • Must see
  • Historic monument
• 1 hr 30 min

  8 min walk

  Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center

  • Must see
  • Museum
• 2 hours

  8 min walk

  Andrassy Avenue

  • Must see
  • Activity

External links

• View on Wikidata