The former Renaissance castle of its builder, Ferenc Mikó Hídvégi was sacked and plundered by Turkish-Tartar armies in 1661, and the decaying building was converted into a fortified barracks by the settling Habsburg power in 1716. It served largely military purposes until 1970, when it became the home of the museum. The history of four centuries can be traced here, as the traces of successive events are constantly superimposed, preserving the dormant witnesses of an earlier time. Scientific research is gradually revealing the past by working backwards from the present. Archaeologists explore the layers beneath the surface of the earth, analysing the artefacts they contain. Art historians carry out similar work on the walls above, layer by layer (plasterwork, lime paintings, boarded-up doors, windows, architraves, staircases). Our exhibition on the history of the castle will give an insight into the history of the first two centuries of the building, using objects and architectural elements found in situ. We do this in a way that is easy for our audience to understand, with the help of short films.

Introductory room

Much of the walls are original, the vaulting is the result of a later rebuilding, and the copper window of the courtyard window has layers of painted plaster dating from the 17th century, with fragments of documents on the earliest layer. The stratification display case playfully illustrates the order in which the archaeologist encounters a wide variety of artefacts.

Well Room

The present hall once consisted of several rooms, as the remains of demolished walls, doors and vaults that have been converted into windows show. The 17th-century latrine, the staircase leading upstairs and the well inside the building, with its drainage channel added in the 18th century, are not only interesting in themselves: the objects recovered reveal the everyday life of the castle in the 17th and 18th centuries. A short film with costumes gives an idea of how the finds were brought to the bottom of the well in the old days.

Kitchen room

In the 18th-century great kitchen, cooking was presumably done for the officers' staff. During the excavations, we found the location of the stove and oven, as well as the pillars holding the smoke trap. This was the basis for the reconstruction, which, together with the adjacent pantry, invites you on a gastronomic journey through time. A short film filmed in this room recreates the bustling life of the former kitchen.

Bastion

The final room of the exhibition offers a comprehensive look at the castle's military history. Original weapons from the 15th to 19th centuries show the evolution of weapons from different eras and regions, while faithful replicas offer a tactile experience. The evolution and transformation of the building is illustrated by mock-ups, architectural surveys and 3D animation.