The Mindszentyneum is the newest institution of the Zalaegerszeg Museums. It commemorates its namesake, Cardinal József Mindszenty, highlighting both his work for Zalaegerszeg and the persecution he endured during the communist era.
The three-storey building is home to several thematic exhibitions, as well as a café, museum shop, and conference hall.
Exhibitions at the Mindszentyneum
Cardinal József Mindszenty’s Life Journey
The primary aim of this exhibition is to present the life and legacy of Cardinal József Mindszenty, one of the most influential and iconic figures in 20th-century Hungarian history and church history. The exhibition explores his personal sacrifice and demonstrates how the assessment of his legacy has changed over the decades, often depending on the prevailing political climate.
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Persecution of the Church under the Communist Dictatorship (1945–1990)
This exhibition tells the stories of those connected to the churches who suffered under the communist regime. Visitors gain insight into how they endured persecution, survived the systematic campaign directed against them, and responded in different ways to the anti-religious policies of the dictatorship. The exhibition takes an ecumenical approach and presents these events from a subjective perspective, as if the story were unfolding through the diary of a church survivor.
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From Brick to Church – A Selection of Medieval Heritage from Zala County
On the basement level, visitors can explore the remains of medieval brick kilns uncovered during the archaeological excavations carried out before the construction of the Mindszentyneum. These kilns played an important role in the architectural history of Zalaegerszeg and are displayed at the very location where they were discovered. Their history is closely linked to the former castle of Zalaegerszeg, traces of which were also uncovered by archaeologists during the excavation. Based on the findings from these historically significant remains, an animated film brings to life the idea of “building the future on the past”. The exhibition demonstrates that the brick kilns flourished during the extensive construction projects of the 14th and 15th centuries, while their eventual abandonment was partly caused by the construction of the wooden palisade surrounding the castle during the Ottoman period, when one of the kilns was cut through by the palisade’s foundation and the castle moat.
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Temporary Exhibitions
The Mindszentyneum also hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year. You can find information about our current temporary exhibitions here:
