The mission of the Hungarian Museum of Natural History is to spark curiosity about nature’s diversity and inspire a commitment to protecting our natural environment. In 2019, the Government of Hungary decided to build the new headquarters of the Hungarian Museum of Natural History in Debrecen, where it can fulfil its mission in a state-of-the-art, 21st-century environment, enhancing its impact and reinforcing the role of Debrecen as the intellectual and cultural hub of the region. The local authority has designated Debreceni Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Kft. to oversee the project. Project preparation began in early 2022 and includes developing a detailed feasibility study, conducting a design competition, and preparing permit and construction plans.

The goal of the project is to establish a cultural and scientific community institution—one of the most modern natural science exhibition spaces on the continent—that will also serve as a benchmark in Central Europe. In addition to being a technically unique and sustainable building equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, it will feature world-class exhibitions, all-day experience programs, and house over 12 million objects from the museum's collection.

The museum’s new headquarters will be situated on the current site of the Oláh Gábor Street stadium, adjacent to the Culture Park (zoo and amusement park) and connected to other facilities in Nagyerdő (Great Forest), such as Nagyerdei Stadium, “Sziget Kék” Theme Park, Sport Centre, Békás (Froggy) Pond, and Aquaticum. It will be an open space for the public to use on a daily basis, offering recreational opportunities for all visitors. The building is envisioned as a community place where families, people who want to learn and have fun, as well as professionals from the scientific and museum fields can come together. The museum also leads the way in environmental awareness, utilising renewable energy to minimize its ecological footprint.

Design Concept

The environment of the Nagyerdő (Great Forest) defines the design concept, which is based on the dialogue between built space and nature. The new Hungarian Natural History Museum is more than a building – it is an ecotone, a transitional zone where the man-made environment and nature intertwine. Designed to blur boundaries, the building blends organically into the landscape, creating a space that is neither entirely artificial nor entirely natural. Here, the museum meets the forest, outdoor spaces merge with open-air exhibitions, and science interweaves with history and the spirit of natural heritage.

Fully aware that construction inevitably has environmental impacts, the museum was designed with a responsible sustainability-focused approach, aiming to leave the site in a better condition than it was found – both for people and for nature. The roof, covered with native plant species, extends the forest canopy naturally, encouraging the return of flora and fauna to an area that was once an integral part of the Debrecen forest.

The building itself emerges from the ground; its façade, clad in charred wood panels, continues the landscape and softens the transition between built space and wilderness.
The modern museum is more than an institution – it is a meeting point where people and scientific disciplines intertwine to create inspiration and new perspectives. It is more than an exhibition space – a living and constantly evolving place where science meets the public, education connects with the community, and sustainability aligns with innovation.

A gift to the city – an institution that not only showcases natural history but contributes to its preservation. A building that proves architecture can simultaneously serves as a cultural landscape element and a tool for ecological restoration.

The integration of the building into its surroundings and its character are fully in line with the mission of the institution. Its massing, scale, and shape integrate smoothly into the Great Forest’s landscape, exerting minimal visual impact on the surrounding area. A building that is both hidden and discreet yet has a striking optical character from a horizontal viewpoint.

The formation of the artificial hill evokes associations with “kurgans”, burial mounds characteristic of the Great Plains region. As a result, beyond the associations with science, the design also conveys cultural and identity-strengthening messages through the cross-shaped floor plan and the kurgan reference.

The building, with its spectacular and captivating appearance from almost every angle, slowly reveals itself, inviting exploration and evoking emotions. The green roof garden of intersecting strips of land offers a wealth of educational opportunities, and the fusion of interior and exterior spaces makes it a truly open community building, which could be envisaged as a prominent recreational space for families and a wide range of social groups. At the same time, the main entrance, positioned at the intersection of the southern ribbons, is under-represented, and the expected open community space and museum function both require more pronounced exploration.

The clean design principle of maintaining proportion and scale in the basic concept results in a clear allocation of functions, but at the same time it also imposes constraints. The functions of the building wings around the central core are clear and well-defined, and the radial arrangement of the exhibitions allows for a well-coordinated flow of visitors; however, it also means that the central circulation core occupies one of the most valuable areas of the building. In the case less favorable design outcomes resulting from the building’s geometry, it is recommended to reconsider certain parts of the design, in particular the glass surfaces and shading of the exhibition spaces, as well as the layout and accessibility of the offices. The existing functional anomalies can be addressed in the design without compromising the basic concept.

Despite the tactful, naturalistic concept, the positioning of the design in the urban structure and the landscape architectural solutions proposed are still undeveloped and will need to be improved during the design process.
In addition to identifying itself as an institution with a natural history character already through its appearance, the entry offers outstanding solutions in terms of visitor experience and its additional potential could place the new exhibition building on the the cultural landscape of Hungary and the region as an iconic and worthy home of the Hungarian Museum of Natural History in Debrecen.

The Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is one of the most influential contemporary architecture firms, with an international team of more than 700 professionals. Their work is defined by innovation, sustainability, and a multidisciplinary perspective.
Recognizing that traditional methods alone are no longer sufficient to address the challenges of the 21st century, BIG brings together experts from diverse fields – engineers, scientists, biologists, and designers – to develop integrated and forward-thinking solutions.

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BIG believes that the convergence of individual talent generates a collective creative force capable of shaping the future.
Their global projects reflect this philosophy: they are spaces and buildings that not only push the boundaries of innovation and sustainability but also redefine the relationship between people and their environment.

The Vikár és Lukács Építész Stúdió Kft. has been a prominent force in contemporary Hungarian architecture for over two decades.

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