The building was inaugurated in the presence of Franz Joseph I on 1 December 1906 and opened to the public on 5 December. The works of art accumulated and united over the centuries, the collections of the National Museum and the National Gallery, the Jankovich, Pyrker, Esterházy and Ipolyi collections, and the great art treasures of the collections of the National Museum and the National Gallery have been enriched by regular purchases, donations and gifts. As a result of domestic and foreign research and scientific cataloguing, it has become a public treasure of art history and an important institution on the continent, with the richest collection between Vienna and St Petersburg. 

Following the largest reconstruction in the museum's history, the permanent exhibitions were also renewed in 2018: Hungarian art before 1800 is back after a long time. The museum has been restored to its original concept as an exhibition space for Hungarian and international art history, presenting ancient cultures - the Egyptian and the antique collections - as well as pre-1800 art.

Tickets for the exhibition are valid for one day and one-hour time slots. This is based on the expected time of arrival of the visitor, but does not guarantee immediate entry or limit the duration of the visit.

Only permanent exhibitions can be visited with tickets.