Unframed Collection partners with NUMIX Lab, an itinerant European event that brings together immersive creation professionals in dialogue with cultural institutions across the continent. The 6th edition in 2025 brought together 459 participants from around the world across 16 venues in Budapest, Veszprém, Vienna, and Linz, fostering exchanges between Europe and North America around immersive cultural practices.
On this occasion, we met Endre Vazul Mándli, Head of the Exhibition Department at House of Music Hungary, an innovative institution opened in 2022 in Budapest. Conceived as a hybrid space combining concerts, education, and exhibitions, the House of Music Hungary explores new ways of engaging audiences with music through immersive and interactive formats.
In this interview, Endre Vazul Mándli reflects on how digital technologies can transform the relationship between audiences and music heritage, the challenges of integrating immersive tools into a sound-centered institution, and the ambition to develop internationally touring immersive formats.
Immersive technologies allow us to rethink how people experience music. In our exhibitions, sound becomes spatial, personal, and narrative. Visitors are not just listening – they are moving through sound. But what makes our approach unique is the connection between our three pillars: concerts, exhibitions, and education.
– Vazul Endre Mándil
To begin, could you introduce House of Music Hungary and explain your role within the institution?
Vazul Endre Mándli – The House of Music Hungary opened in January 2022. It is built around three main pillars: music events, music education, and exhibitions. Most visitors first experience it as a concert venue, with daily performances in our halls.
I lead the exhibition department, located underground across several spaces: a permanent exhibition, a temporary exhibition hall, a sound dome, and a creative sound space. Together, they form a large immersive environment dedicated to exploring music in new ways.
Our permanent exhibition is central to this vision. It takes visitors through the history of music – from natural sounds to contemporary recordings – in a fully immersive way. Each visitor follows an individual journey through a 3D headset system that delivers location-based audio content.
We combine storytelling, sound design, and interactivity to create an experience that is both educational and engaging, even though we display few traditional objects.
How do digital and immersive technologies reshape the way audiences engage with music and sound heritage?
V. E. M. – Immersive technologies allow us to rethink how people experience music. In our exhibitions, sound becomes spatial, personal, and narrative. Visitors are not just listening – they are moving through sound.
But what makes our approach unique is the connection between our three pillars. We constantly create links between concerts, exhibitions, and education.
For example, a band performing in the concert hall might also have a dedicated immersive piece in the sound dome. Or audiences might encounter AR or VR installations before attending a concert.
We also develop interactive installations that translate music into visual or spatial experiences. In one project, live music was transformed into real-time visuals behind the performers. These kinds of experiments help us reach new audiences, especially younger generations.
Is the House of Music Hungary currently developing or planning any digital or immersive projects? If so, could you share some details about these projects and what you hope to achieve with them?
V. E. M. – Yes, we are now developing projects with a stronger international dimension. One example is an immersive experience based on Pompeii.
We are working with 3D scans of the archaeological site and combining them with reconstructed ancient music. These sounds are based on historical research and recreated instruments. The idea is to create a fully immersive narrative combining space, history, and sound.
We are also developing a large-scale immersive exhibition dedicated to Freddie Mercury, which we intend to tour internationally.
In parallel, we continue experimenting with public installations. For example, we are designing outdoor sound-based devices that allow visitors to experience fragments of concerts from outside the building. These projects extend the experience beyond traditional spaces.
What are the main opportunities in combining music, heritage, and digital innovation?
V. E. M. – The main opportunity is to open music to broader audiences. Digital tools allow us to create new entry points. Someone might come for visuals and discover music, or the other way around.
It also allows us to connect disciplines – sound, image, space, and interaction – in ways that were not possible before. This creates richer, more engaging experiences.
At the same time, what are the main challenges when implementing immersive or digital formats in a music-focused organisation? How do you navigate them?
V. E. M. – The biggest challenge is to preserve the essence of music. Music is something deeply human and physical. When using digital technologies, we must be careful not to lose that. Technology should not be an addition for its own sake. It must serve the experience and the meaning.
Another important challenge is sustainability. Our building is located in a park, surrounded by nature. This reminds us constantly that innovation must also be responsible. Developing digital experiences requires resources, and we must remain mindful of that.
Looking ahead, what are your ambitions for House of Music Hungary in the next few years regarding digital or immersive initiatives? Are there particular formats, collaborations or audiences you aim to reach?
V. E. M. – Our main ambition is to expand internationally. We want to collaborate with other institutions, museums, and creators, and develop projects that can travel across different countries.
We are already working with partners from France, the Czech Republic, and Italy. We want to strengthen this network and become part of a global ecosystem of immersive cultural venues.
At the same time, we will continue to explore digital and immersive formats – always with the same goal: to create meaningful experiences while staying true to the essence of music.
Discover more interviews with curators and programmers on our blog.
