The reconstruction, which is expected to last three years, is part of the Liget Budapest Project aimed at the complex development of the city’s largest public park, Városliget, and its surroundings. Redevelopment will see the Roman Hall and adjacent parts of the building, which has been closed to visitors since the Second World War, restored to its original glory.

Several partial reconstruction efforts have already been carried out on the Museum of Fine Arts, the latest being the renewal of the building’s façade in 2008; however, the renovation of the so-called Roman Wing and the development in building services engineering the reconstruction entails has been delayed for decades.

Although the museum’s building will be closed during the reconstruction, the chief pieces of its collection will be put on display in the permanent exhibition of the Hungarian National Gallery. Following the opening of the redeveloped building, it will host a collection reorganised along a new concept and a new permanent exhibition.

Before the magnificent museum closes its doors on 15 February 2015, weekend guided tours, chamber concerts, a family day, “museum time travel”, a costume ball recalling the Dutch Golden Ages and a whole-day farewell finissage will await visitors who want to get a final glimpse of the Museum’s artefacts before work begins. However, some of the permanent exhibitions will close earlier; the Egyptian Collection and the permanent exhibition on European sculpture will both only be on display until 1 Feburary 2015

Source: hungarytoday.hu