MYTH AND REALITY
Historical craft camp for primary school children
From ancient times to the Baroque period and up to the present day, children aged 8-14 years old were invited to a day camp organised by the MNMKK Museum of Applied Arts and the MNMKK Hungarian National Museum Campona Victrix Archaeological Exhibition Centre. For one week, from 14 to 18 July, we were immersed in the imaginative and intricate world of the Roman Empire, Baroque counts and mysterious treasure hunters.
In this exciting summer time-travel, young adventurers were eager to discover the myths and mysteries of ancient and modern times: Roman treasures, Baroque secrets and their Great Ages implications. In the process, they learnt by playing, unobtrusively acquiring a wealth of interesting historical knowledge, from gladiators to baroque counts. Two eras were brought to life in two locations: in the imposing late Baroque Nagytétény Castle and in the wild archaeological exhibition site in its immediate vicinity, in the spacious grounds of the former Roman fortress of the Triumphant Campona. Interactive historical games, guided tours adapted to the age group, imaginative craft activities and lots of games together made the week unforgettable. Roman weapons, Baroque scenes in period costumes, metal embossing, perfume making, "treasure hunting" and legionary training - to sum up the rich programme, which brought the history of bygone eras up close and personal.
The colourful programme included an introduction to the tricks of archaeology, under the expert guidance of two specialists of the Roman period, Tamás Szabadváry and Zsolt Mráv, archaeologists of the Hungarian National Museum. During the field trip, metal finds were excavated with the help of a metal detector. The treasure hunt was followed by a playful presentation of archaeology, illustrating the beauty and challenges of the profession with funny film examples. The highlight of the "Roman day" was an interactive costume and lifestyle demonstration by Aelius Publianus centurio, aka Imre Kiss, who came straight from the 1st century BC, and was accompanied by a number of ancient curiosities. There were also many interesting facts about the life of gladiators, the weapons and fighting techniques of Roman soldiers, and the human conditions of the time.
The exhibition "Life-Pictures" of the Local History Collection of Nagytétény, guided by Ildikó Wahl, gave the children, most of them from the district, a closer look at the history of Budafok and Tétény in the 19th and 20th centuries. The spectacular exhibition, with its intimate interiors, presents the cultural memories and micro-history of Budafok-Tétény.
The popular baroque dress boutiques are an unmissable highlight of the camp. Dressed in period costumes, skirts with hoops and lace corsets, the young people in Nagytétény Castle evoked the spirit of the period, dressed in the skin of countesses and counts, with soft piano accompaniment.
The young apprentices presented their beautiful handicraft creations to their families at an impromptu chamber exhibition on the last day. They made Roman horses, ingenious baroque dolls, tile paintings, clay mosaics, a colourful fleet of Danube boats, fragrant bath bags and fans. Our historical stage was also a place for fun and games, as the primary aim was to learn and develop skills, but also to have fun and relax. You can find photo galleries and short videos of the craft camp on our Facebook page. 14-18 July, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm
Location: MNMKK MNM Campona Victrix Archaeological Exhibition Centre and MNMKK IMM Nagytétényi Kastély (1225 Budapest, Szent Flórián tér)
Camp leaders: museum educators Dóra Borsai and Anikó Tarczali
Organizers: MNMKK Museum of Applied Arts Nagytétényi Kastély, MNMKK Hungarian National Museum Campona Victrix Archaeological Exhibition Hall
Grade: primary school children (1-8.
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Maximum number of participants: 20
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