TRAINING FOR TOURIST GUIDES

KJU (Kodolányi János University, Hungary) in cooperation with IMM (Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, Hungary)

What do we know about Art Nouveau?

Turn-of-the-century architecture, exceptional works of applied arts and the newness of the Art Nouveau style were on display for those who attended the training and the guided tour called "Tourism of the Art Nouveau heritage".

During the joint programme of the Department of Tourism of the János Kodolányi University and the Museum of Applied Arts, the speakers not only presented the dominant stylistic trends of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, but also sought answers to the question of the tourist potential of the art and architecture of the period.

The training for 15 tour guides at the János Kodolányi University started with presentations. The participants were welcomed by Tamara Rátz, Head of the Department of Tourism at the University, who presented the ARTNOUVEAU2 international programme, afterwards, Zsolt Koren, Head of the Communication Department of the Museum of Applied Arts, presented the results of the visitor surveys 2020-2021, which analysed the cultural consumption habits of the general public and an other study, carried out in the framework of the ARTNOUVEAU2 programme, has produced valuable results, specifically on the knowledge of Art Nouveau among the museum-going public. The results will help museum and tourism professionals to identify gaps in the knowledge of the museum-going public about Art Nouveau.

Meanwhile speaking Dutch, Flemish, French, Spanish, Portuguese, American, Czech, German, Austrian or Ukrainian and in many cases several languages, the guides shared their experiences of the cultural and sightseeing habits of tourists arriving in the country.

In the afternoon, the participants continued their exploration of Art Nouveau in the Ráth György Villa in the Városligeti Fasor. The home of György Ráth - who was the former director of the Museum of Applied Arts - now a museum, where the Museum of Applied Arts is presenting the best of its Art Nouveau collection - 600 works of art - in the exhibition entitled Our Art Nouveau.

Julianna Joó, head of the museum's education department, gave the group a tour of the villa, showing the turn-of-the-century interiors, highlighting the history, characteristics, makers and provenance of the objects. Afterwards she guided the group nearby the district, to see the other villas, built at the turn of the century in Art Nouveau style.

Photo credits:

© Julianna Joó, head of the museum's education department, gave a guided tour around the 6th district's villas, built in Art Nouveau style.
© Group of tour guides at György Ráth Villa, who attended the training
© Zsolt Koren, Head of the Communication Department of the Museum of Applied Arts, presented the results of the visitor surveys 2020-2021.
© Tamara Rátz, Head of the Department of Tourism at the University, who presented the ARTNOUVEAU2 international programme.

Project cofunded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA II). The participation of the Hungarian party is cofunded by the Hungarian Government.