Budapest’s Police Headquarters will open its doors to the public during Night of Museums, offering visitors a unique opportunity to explore areas of the Teve Street Police Administrative Centre that are normally inaccessible.
The Police Palace will welcome guests from 6pm until midnight on Saturday, featuring guided building tours, demonstrations and interactive activities designed to showcase the work of Hungary’s law enforcement agencies.
Visitors will be able to see the Activity Management Centre, where emergency calls are received and coordinated, while guides will also share behind-the-scenes stories and lesser-known facts about the headquarters building itself.
One of the featured guests will be András Szécsényi, known as ‘Szecso,’ who will speak about everyday police work, the challenges of law enforcement and experiences gathered during his service.
The programme includes a wide range of hands-on activities. Guests will be able to test a detective interrogation mirror familiar from crime films, examine thermal imaging cameras and police drones, and even try some of the equipment themselves.
Under the supervision of Budapest Police firearms instructors, visitors can participate in laser shooting simulations using realistic weapon replicas. Experts from the National Protective Service will also explain how polygraph examinations work, what investigators look for during tests and, in some cases, allow volunteers to experience the process firsthand.
Cybersecurity specialists will demonstrate common online scams and hacking techniques, while psychologists will offer assessments of attention, stress management and reaction skills, alongside practical relaxation methods.
Interactive exhibits will allow participants to experience how substance use affects reaction times and decision-making through simulation goggles and reaction tests. An online-themed escape room will present real-life scenarios illustrating the consequences of poor decisions.
A retro police station exhibit will transport visitors back to the 1980s, featuring period equipment, classic crime-story atmosphere and the famous ‘Kojak lollipop‘ associated with detectives of the era.
Driving simulators will provide visitors with an opportunity to test their reflexes and decision-making abilities in realistic traffic situations. Outside the headquarters, police specialists will stage a mock accident investigation and demonstrate modern forensic techniques, explaining how evidence is collected and analysed.
Police dog handlers from the Budapest Police Headquarters will present the work of service dogs through both lectures and live demonstrations. Historic police vehicles, motorcycles, uniforms and water police equipment will also be on display, including a Trophy-class patrol boat and a Sea-Doo jet ski that visitors can board.
Most programmes inside the Police Palace require advance registration through the Night of Museums website, while outdoor events can be attended without registration.
Meanwhile, the Police Museum on Mosonyi Street will host its own extensive Night of Museums programme. Alongside permanent exhibitions on criminology and police history, visitors can explore a temporary exhibition dedicated to the history of Hungary’s Border Guard between 1945 and 2007.
The museum’s activities include cybercrime presentations, breathalyser demonstrations, motorcycle simulators, laser shooting ranges and ‘drunk goggles‘ that simulate impaired perception. Mounted police and canine units will perform live demonstrations, while visitors can also inspect police cars, transport vehicles and motorcycles.
Special lectures will examine topics ranging from criminal profiling and homicide investigations to forensic psychiatry and the investigation of the 2016 Teréz Boulevard bombing. Historical presentations will also recall the story of police sergeant József Sinkó, who was killed in the line of duty in 1931.
Guests will additionally have the opportunity to try on police protective equipment, including helmets, shields and body armour, and take home a souvenir palm print created with the assistance of forensic technicians.
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