Műcsarnok (Kunsthalle) was founded in 1877 at the initiative of the Hungarian National Fine Arts Association. The exhibition hall on Heroes’ Square in Budapest was erected in 1896 for the millennium celebrations.

Today, Műcsarnok exhibits curated shows of works by leading Hungarian and international contemporary artists, mediating and representing modern artistic tendencies, while not maintaining a permanent collection.

The institution operates as Műcsarnok Non-profit Ltd. since 2000. In 2013, the Hungarian Government donated the building to the Hungarian Academy of Arts.