EFOP- 4.1.9 – 16 – 2017-00004
Development of an archaeological open exhibition in Türr István Museum
49 995 405 Ft
Date of execution: 01 January 2018- 31 December 2019
The renovation and revitalisation of the building of the Türr István Museum, which is under the protection of National Historic Monuments, is essential from historical, art historical and historical preservation aspects. The development of the professional work and the creation of a scientifically appropriate environment are part of the modernisation and condition preservation process of the building. The planned archaeological open exhibition with a teaching room would be the extended archaeological part of the Treasury of Heritage exhibition. Visitors of the exhibition would get a more complex picture of the connection between different eras by the archaeological extension.
The Türr István Museum improves the cultural public services of Baja and its region by displaying the rich archaeological collection. This collection is a uniquely rich one among the archaeological collections of the region and the country. The museum develops the services more by providing an opportunity of professional examination and work.
The museum stores several findings of cemeteries which are acclaimed nationwide and internationally. The most significant collection is called the ‘Madaras-halmok’ which are the remains of a Sarmatian cemetery dated back to the era from the 2nd century AD to the 5th century AD. This is the only Sarmatian cemetery which is fully disclosed in Europe containing 666 burial-places, so this is the most emblematic archaeological site of the Migration Period.
In the autumn of 2016 a unique discovery took place in Érsekcsanád, named Szentgyörgy in the middle Ages, where a painted wattle and daub church had been disclosed. The church dates back to the 14-15th centuries with moulded images on its walls. This discovery is outstanding since there hadn’t been any findings like this before in Hungary. The preparation for further excavation has happened in cooperation with experts.
The findings stored in the museum have never been displayed except some smaller pieces which were the part of 3-6 months-long temporary exhibitions. The findings have remained unseen by the professional and unprofessional audience even though they are parts of the archaeological literature and taught at universities. The museum doesn’t have the special and needed infrastructure for the display. The actual capacity of the building is not advanced enough to exhibit and store the findings in proper conditions in the long run.
The preservation of the findings and the cultural heritage of the region are facilitated by the planned archaeological open exhibition and teaching room. The project provides decent circumstances for the storage and display of the findings. Moreover, it enables to create a place of education where there are informal sessions for every age group. The experts of the field of archaeology (university professors, researchers and archaeologists) can have the opportunity to examine and analyse the disclosed findings which they haven’t seen yet.