A large-scale temporary exhibition has opened within the walls of the Hungarian National Museum: the exhibition entitled Attila presents the figure and legacy of the Hun ruler on a scale and with an international collaboration that has been rare in recent decades. The exhibition evokes the era of the Hun Empire and the multifaceted interpretations of Attila’s personality through nearly 400 artifacts from 64 museums in 13 countries.

The exhibition focuses on the question of how Attila lives on in Hungarian, Western, and Eastern memory. The thematic units of the exhibition—such as Attila’s feast, his death and tomb, the sword of the god of war, and Attila as the ancestor of the Hungarians—address both the world of legends and the scientific approach.

The findings of archaeology, history, art history, anthropology, and archaeogenetics enter into dialogue with folk traditions and artistic reflections from later periods.

The Palatine Joseph Hall has been completely transformed for the duration of the exhibition: spectacular visual and technical solutions help visitors enter the world of a bygone era. The curatorial concept aims not only to present the everyday life and customs of the Huns, but also to show how the perception of Attila has changed over the past 1,600 years.

The display cases contain unique jewelry and artifacts from the Carpathian Basin and the more distant regions of the former Hun Empire. One of the highlights of the exhibition is a painting by Antal Haan, a copy of a fresco by Raphael, which has been made available to the public again after more than 120 years, thanks to a loan from the Museum of Fine Arts.

In addition to Hungarian sacrificial finds, the exhibition also features Hun-era art treasures from leading public collections in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Romania, and Slovakia.

The Attila exhibition will be open until July 12, 2026, and is complemented by a rich series of accompanying programs.

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