Welcome to the joint website of the Archives of Political History and the Trade Unions and the Library of the Institute of Political History
The Archives of Political History and the Trade Unions is a private archive open to the public. Originally, it collected documentary material on the history of the workers’ movement and the political left, while today its scope extends to the entirety of Hungarian history during the modern era. Our archivists trace, collect and preserve private documents—all indispensable sources of contemporary history. The collection consists of particularly rich material on the regime change in Hungary in 1989-1990. We are open to any and all organizations, associations, and private individuals who wish to deposit their documents in the Archives of Political History and the Trade Unions.
Most of our material is catalogued: the register of fonds and inventories reflect the state of the collection as it was on January 1, 2018.
The Institute of Political History also houses a public library. Its collection is devoted to topics in political and social theory, political history, political science, and modern history. While the majority of the collection is in Hungarian, there are numerous texts in other European languages as well: English, French, German and Russian, to name a few. The library also features a special collection of publications and electoral material from Hungarian political parties and organizations during the twentieth century, which is accessible for researchers.
More information about the archives and the library is available here.
Address: 1114 Budapest, 11-13 Villányi str. , ground floor
Phone: (+36 1) 381-8146
E-mail: or .
To visit our library and archives you must pre-register by sending an e-mail.
Opening hours:
Monday: 8.00–12.00
Tuesday: 8.00-18.00
Wednesday: 8.00–16.00
Closed on Thursday and Friday