The Modern Document Collection was established in 1961, primarily in response to exhibition needs. In accordance with the scope of the National Museum’s collecting policy, it comprises documents of Hungarian relevance related to the history of Hungary, created between the 16th and 20th centuries. Among its most outstanding holdings are armorial letters of nobility granted by rulers, documents relating to guild-based crafts and trades, as well as records connected to societies, associations, and institutions—most notably the Hungarian National Museum itself. The material dating from 1848–1849 presents the everyday realities of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. A further significant group consists of written sources documenting the events of 1918–1919. The collection also includes individual items that do not form distinct subgroups but are associated with prominent historical figures (such as Lajos Kossuth, Prince Ferenc II Rákóczi, István Türr, among others) and major historical events. In 1963, József Stippek and János Stippek donated their collection to the museum, which primarily contains documents related to family history.
Contact Dr. Róbert Szvitek, szvitek.robert@hnm.hu