Hunting Exhibition
The Hunting Exhibition showcases trophies of game species from five continents. Visitors can explore many of the animals “in their natural habitats,” while the experience is enriched by ethnographic and fine art collections related to hunting.
At its height, the castle reflected the Festetics family’s significant hunting activities: the western passage of the building was known as the Trophy Hall, and even the billiard room was decorated with trophies. Hunting mementos representing the wildlife of the Carpathian Basin adorned the walls, primarily to commemorate family members and to delight both the owners and their distinguished guests. The forests and fields on the family estates were rich in game, thanks to skilled gamekeepers. Notably, in 1806, Keszthely became the first place in the country to offer higher education in forestry and hunting, at the Georgikon established by György I. Festetics.
Gallery
The Festetics family’s original trophy collection disappeared from the castle during and after World War II, making a full display impossible. To fill this gap and provide visitors with a comprehensive picture of noble hunting life, a permanent hunting exhibition opened in 2008. It presents trophies that honor collectors and offer both insight and enjoyment to hunters and the general public alike.
Gallery
The collection is anchored by hundreds of trophies donated to Hungary by Franz Joseph Windisch-Grätz, which are displayed in full. Selected trophies from Baron György Dózsa, a member of an old Székely noble family—including several world-record specimens—also form a key part of the museum. The exhibition also commemorates Hungary’s best-known hunters, showcasing relics and trophies of Zsigmond Széchenyi and Kálmán Kittenberger, and presenting the professional legacies of Ákos Szederjei and Endre Nagy.
Thanks to the meticulous and dedicated work of one of the museum’s founders, Béla Hidvégi, the collection is considered uniquely valuable in Europe. Large game from five continents is displayed life-size, complete with natural habitat settings, making this the exhibition’s most popular section.
The museum’s holdings are further enhanced by separate rooms displaying fine and applied arts, including weapons, paintings, sculptures, and porcelain, illustrating the unity of hunting and wildlife conservation.
New Developments in the Hunting Exhibition
Two new 100 m² wings have been added. One features mountain landscapes from Asia and North America, including Mongolia, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and North America. The second wing recreates an African rainforest, with a mountainous area inhabited by a mountain nyala, and a wetland with a waterhole and mud bath. Visitors can also see red buffalo, bongo, sitatunga, and various monkeys in the tree canopies. Both dioramas are enhanced by sounds appropriate to each habitat.
The diorama corners created in 2008 have been renovated, with new specimens added and rocky habitats refreshed with updated colors and vegetation.
Two new small rooms have been created: one evokes the atmosphere of a hunter’s study, while the adjacent room displays Béla Hidvégi’s hunting rifles and awards.
Upstairs, a permanent exhibition features an official reproduction of a large painting by renowned American wildlife artist Brian Jarvi, depicting 208 African species. To date, this is the only copy to come to Europe. The painting was donated by Béla Hidvégi for the upcoming International Hunting and Nature Exhibition.
The average duration of viewing the exhibition is approximately 20-30 minutes.