Cat Museum

The Cat Museum Budapest is a hybrid experience combining interactive museum and cat café, located in the heart of the Hungarian capital’s 5th district. Opened in September 2022, this two-storey space houses around 10 resident cats carefully selected for their sociable nature and propensity to interact with visitors. Unlike traditional museums, here you can pet the felines while exploring a collection of feline-themed artworks ranging from Ancient Egypt to contemporary pop culture.

The atmosphere is that of a cosy home where the cats are the real protagonists: they roam freely through the rooms, indulge in cuddles when they feel like it and offer visitors moments of relaxation through their therapeutic purr. The museum is not only a tourist attraction, but also an educational space celebrating the cultural and historical role of cats in human society, from Egyptian veneration to modern memes.

Things to do at the Cat Museum Budapest

The exhibition is spread over two levels with a large gallery area maximising the space available for felines. On the lower floor is the ‘Cats in the World’ section, where you can admire playful reinterpretations of famous paintings in which cats become the absolute protagonists. You will find the ‘Mona Lisa’ with feline features, meowing versions of Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ and other classical works reinterpreted in a feline key. Alongside the contemporary paintings, ancient depictions testifying to the millennial relationship between man and cat are on display.

The Egyptian PhotoWall offers a photo set themed on Ancient Egypt, complete with fun props and a selfie stand. Here you can take souvenir photos dressed as pharaohs or priestesses next to statues of Bastet, the cat goddess. In the Children’s Corner, colouring and drawing materials are available, allowing the little ones to create their own mice-inspired works of art.

On the upper floor is a fine collection of porcelain consisting of pieces by Zsolnay, Herendi and Hollóházy, the most renowned Hungarian manufactures, as well as some international pieces. Each piece depicts cats in elegant poses or domestic scenes that celebrate feline sophistication in decorative art. The Jungle Room provides scientific information on the biological characteristics of cats and the different breeds, from Maine Coons to Siamese, Bengals and Ragdolls. Information panels illustrate interesting facts about feline behaviour, from the ability to purr to the mechanisms of night vision.

In the central room you can take part in an interactive tablet-based quiz that tests your knowledge about cats. Questions range from mythology to everyday behaviour, from biology to anecdotes about rare breeds. Clues to answering correctly are scattered throughout the various rooms of the museum, encouraging careful exploration. Those who pass the quiz receive a small feline gift at the end of the visit.

The Relax Nook, located at the back of the upper floor, is an oasis of tranquillity where you can take a break in the company of the cats, lulled by the soundtracks of rainforests and the sounds of nature. Here, the felines love to doze and often curl up next to visitors seeking a moment of peace. Screenings of short films about cats complete the sensory experience.

Admission tickets

The standard adult ticket costs 3,490 Hungarian forints (approx. 9-11 euro) and includes a 90-minute admission, a hot or cold drink of your choice (coffee, tea, hot chocolate or soft drink) and the possibility of feeding the cats with snacks provided by the museum.

Online booking is compulsory, as the museum applies a limit of 20 people at a time to ensure the well-being of the cats and a pleasant experience for all. Showing up without a reservation may result in long waits or inability to enter. The booked ticket guarantees access at the selected time with a 10-minute tolerance.

The minimum age for entry is 8 years, a restriction introduced to protect both small children and cats from unintentional rough behaviour.

Opening hours and visiting times

The Cat Museum Budapest is open from Tuesday to Sunday with different opening hours. From Tuesday to Friday the opening is from 14:00 to 20:00, ideal for an afternoon or evening visit. At the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) the museum opens from 10:00 to 13:00 and then from 14:30 to 19:00, with an extended lunch break allowing the cats to rest undisturbed.

The museum is closed on Mondays to allow for thorough cleaning of the premises and for the resident felines to rest. Hours may vary during national holidays, so please check the official website before visiting.

Each entrance has a fixed duration of 90 minutes, a time limit designed not to overcrowd the space and to respect the natural rhythms of the cats, who need frequent moments of quiet. It is important to remember that cats naturally sleep for most of the day, especially in the middle hours. It is not possible to predict in advance when each of them will be active or in the mood to play, even though by nature they are sociable and friendly.

How to get to the Cat Museum Budapest

The museum is located at Vadász utca 26, in the heart of the 5th district (Belváros-Lipótváros), the central area of Pest. The nearest metro stop is Arany János utca on the M3 (blue) line, from which the museum can be reached in about 3 minutes by walking 200 metres southwards.

Alternatively, from the Vörösmarty tér stop on the M1 (yellow) line, walk about 5 minutes (400 metres) through the city’s most elegant pedestrian area. This is an ideal option to combine a visit to the museum with a stroll through Budapest’s central area, past shops and historic cafés.

Several tram lines stop nearby: tram 2, which runs along the riverfront, has its closest stop at Széchenyi István tér (8-minute walk). Buses 15 and 115 connect the museum with other parts of the city, stopping a few blocks away.

Upon entering, it is mandatory to remove shoes and wear slippers provided by the museum, a hygienic measure to protect the health of the cats. It is also necessary to disinfect your hands before petting the felines; disinfectant is available at the entrance desk. Dogs are not allowed inside, while photography is permitted but without flash, so as not to frighten the animals.