June 20, 2026, is the night when everything comes alive at the Thúry György Museum in Nagykanizsa. From morning to midnight, the city’s museums, studios, and courtyards fill with art, stories, living history, and music. The main hub: 8800 Nagykanizsa, Fő út 5. The lineup blends hands-on workshops, family-friendly adventures, serious scholarship, and a splash of summer theater and jazz. Here’s how to ride the night from first opening to the last leap over the fire.
All-day art, hands-on creation
Start early at the Magyar Plakát Ház (Hungarian Poster House), Erzsébet tér 14–15, with Lét-Lelet, the major group exhibition of the 34th Ludvig International Art Colony, open 10:00–23:59. Then slip into MűvészPlacc at Jókai utca 52/2, where textile and graphic artists Barbara Fóris and Barbara Gaál host an immersive studio day, 14:00–22:00. Expect group sessions at 14:00 for textile design and weaving, at 18:00 for a still-life painting workshop, and at 21:00 for a late-evening creative close. It’s a rare chance to learn techniques alongside practicing artists in a real working studio.
Treasure hunt and a festive launch
Bring a team of three or four between 16:00 and 17:00 to register for the Kincskereső Kalandtúra—Find the Sarcophagus Treasure! The hunt runs 16:00–18:00 and is tailor-made for curious groups with sharp eyes. At 17:00, the Night of Museums officially opens in the museum courtyard with greetings, commemorative certificates, and a short dance showcase by the Eraklin Dance Club Association (17:00–17:20). The mood is celebratory and sets the pace for the rest of the evening.
Rome in the courtyard and the galleries
From 17:00 to 20:00, the museum courtyard turns into a Roman-era craft zone for kids and adults alike—creative workshops focused on ancient techniques and motifs. At 17:20, the Kerecsényi Edit Memorial Plaque is presented by Director Dr. Csilla Száraz and historian-museologist Zsuzsanna Kunics (17:20–17:40). Stay for the Object of the Night presentation at 17:40–18:00: Roman coins from the Thúry György Museum’s numismatic collection, a compact deep dive for history lovers.
Living history, tours, and dance
Upstairs, from 18:00 to 22:00, the third gallery room hosts living history lessons and library services on Roman culture with staff from the István Halis City Library (Halis István Városi Könyvtár). Out in the courtyard, the Eraklin Dance Club returns 18:00–18:30 with a stage performance. Guided Prison Tour groups depart hourly between 18:00 and 21:00—sign up at the registration desk in the courtyard. From 18:00 to 19:00, join a curator-led tour of the temporary exhibition Roman-era Relics – The Villa Rustica and Cemetery of Nagykanizsa. Then at 18:30–19:00, the Lanciairii Sabarienses Historical Reenactment Association stages a Roman-era demonstration in the courtyard—shields, drills, and daily life brought to life.
Stories, wine culture, and winners
Families settle in 19:00–20:00 for Király Erzsóka, an interactive fairy-tale play performed by storyteller Hortenzia Tőtős on the outdoor stage. At 20:00–20:30, ethnographer Szilvia Gyanó asks, What did the Romans ever do for us? with a brisk talk on wine culture in Pannonia from antiquity to today. Also 20:00–20:30: the treasure hunt and quiz results are announced—bragging rights unlocked.
Theater, jazz, late-night tours, fire
At 20:30–21:15, the Mozaik Company (Mozaik Társulat) premieres István Fejér – Ferenc Kéri: Alcohol Kills (Az alkohol öl), directed by Zsanna Szollár-Nikolics, a sharp evening drama. Ease into the night at 21:30–22:30 with a breezy summer concert from singer Bettina Bódis and jazz pianist Balázs Piller. From 22:30–23:30, late-night guided tours roam both Roman-era Relics – The Villa Rustica and Cemetery of Nagykanizsa and 110 Years: 100+10 Objects. Museum-history mosaics from the collections of the Thúry György Museum. Finally, 23:30–24:00, the courtyard flames rise: fire lighting and fire jumping to close the Night of Museums with a leap into summer.
