Mission Statement

About The Museum

The Mission of the Orly Museum of Hungarian Culture (OMHC) is to raise awareness and appreciation of Hungary’s rich culture, throughout its long and eventful history in Europe and its connections to the United States. Exhibits and cultural events provide interactive experiences that are relevant and inspiring to people of all ages, whether Hungarian, American or from other backgrounds.

Ilona Örly Magyary and Elvira J. Örly Machell are third generation Hungarian-Americans who founded the Museum to showcase Hungarian Culture, benefit the Hungarian community, and honor their parents who were very active in the Hungarian community.

Their parents, Cyrill V. and Elvira M. Örly, were born in California, the children of Hungarian immigrants who came to the United States in the early 1900s from Szatmár, Arad and Ungvár, Hungarian cities that were transferred to Romania and Ukraine, respectively in the Treaty of Trianon (1920) after World War I. Through three generations, the Örly family has had deep ties to the Hungarian community in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The Dalárda, a Hungarian singing and theatrical group, started in the kitchen of Ilona’s and Elvira’s maternal grandmother. Gizella Örly (Cyrill’s mother) was an early member of the Oakland Fruitvale Avenue Hungarian Reformed Church in the San Francisco Bay Area. After World War II, and again after the 1956 Hungarian Freedom Fight against Russian domination of Hungary, Cyrill and Elvira helped newly-arrived Hungarians. In later years, Cyrill was President of the (Hungarian) Pannonia Athletic Club.

Cyrill and Elvira were both proud of their Hungarian heritage and raised their children with appreciation of their Hungarian heritage. Ilona and Elvira wish to provide current and future generations of Americans interested in history and Hungarian Americans living in and visiting the San Francisco Bay Area the opportunity to learn about and enjoy Hungarian culture.

The Museum collection on display is rotated periodically.

The Museum has a traditional Hungarian cimbalom and other interesting cultural pieces collected over many years.

The Museum is also open for programs and specific exhibitions.

The Örly Museum of Hungarian Culture is open (without charge) on the second Saturday of each month from 2pm to 4pm and by appointment for groups. Tours are given by members of the Örly Family and a small staff of volunteers. Please contact us (below) to schedule and arrange a visit.

Our address: 1720 ARCH ST., BERKELEY, CA 94709