Balaton Museum, Keszthely

Founded in 1898 this is the oldest museum in the county. It presents the most complete picture of the history of the Balaton region, the lives of the people living around the lake and the fishing, boating and bathing heritage.

In the 11 rooms of the upper level there are themed exhibitions familiarising visitors with the development of Lake Balaton. The lake of today covering close to 600-square kilometres was formed about 20,000 years ago when the earth's crust shifted lengthwise following volcanic activity. The result was that the Balaton Basin became deeper.

The rich flora and fauna of the lake and its surrounding area may be studied in the spectacular diorama. The history of Balaton fishing and its tools are displayed along with equipment used for the gathering of animal feed, meadow farming and herb growing. Visitors can trace the history of local dress and jewellery, as well as the development of pottery from the Neolithic Age up to the 20th century.

Separate exhibitions are devoted to the bathing history, Balaton sailing and environmental protection in the area. The lapidary shows samples of ancient and Medieval architecture while the János Halápy Memorial Room provides a taste of this famous Balaton painter's life work with 23 pictures.