World Press Photo 2026 at Budapest’s Biodome

From late September, one of the best-known international showcases of photojournalism can once again be seen in Budapest. The World Press Photo 2026 exhibition has been installed in the Biodome of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden and, according to the organisers, can be visited until 8 November. Below, we explain what the exhibition offers, how much admission costs, which Hungarian companion materials complement it, and what was said at the opening about the future of the Biodome as a venue.

How long is the exhibition on, and where can you see it?

According to the programme page of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, the exhibition can be visited at the Biodome between 25 September and 8 November 2026. The same period is also listed on the Budapest event page of the World Press Photo Foundation.

According to CityInEurope event details, the Biodome is located at 16 Állatkerti körút, 1146 Budapest, meaning it is next to City Park, within the zoo grounds. Based on the guide by Time Out Budapest, the photographs are displayed in the Biodome’s entrance hall, the foyer.

As some event listing websites may also show information from earlier years, it is worth checking the organisers’ official platforms for the venue and exact opening hours when planning a visit.

The 69th contest in numbers

Each year, World Press Photo selects works by photojournalists from around the world, and the Budapest exhibition is the travelling show of this international contest. According to information from the World Press Photo Foundation, 3,747 photographers from 141 countries entered the 69th contest, with a total of 57,376 images.

According to the foundation, the jury selected 42 winning photographers from this vast body of material, and their work forms the backbone of the exhibition. As for exactly how many images made it onto the walls in Budapest, BESTofBUDAPEST magazine wrote that visitors can see around 150 photographs, according to its report. This figure is based on the magazine’s report, so a small difference on site is possible.

These proportions show just how strict the selection is: only a fraction of the submitted images make it into the exhibition spaces. Anyone walking through the show will encounter award-winning works from a year of international photojournalism.

Which themes are in focus?

World Press Photo images traditionally document major social, political and environmental developments around the world. According to Time Out Budapest’s guide, the main themes of this year’s selection include war conflicts, the climate emergency and various social crises.

Photojournalism often depicts distressing situations, so this is not a light day out. That is precisely where its value lies: the short descriptions shown alongside the images help visitors understand the circumstances and stories behind the photographs. Those arriving with children may want to think in advance about how much younger visitors can cope with this kind of content.

Two Hungarian companion exhibitions: the 2026 election and 1956

The international selection is complemented by two Hungarian exhibitions. According to the zoo’s programme page, one is a selection by 24.hu’s photographers from the 2026 elections, while the other, titled Volley of Fire 1956, presents Sándor Bojár’s photographs from 1956 from the MTI collection.

BESTofBUDAPEST’s report also draws attention to the parallels between the two companion exhibitions. Displayed side by side, the contemporary election images and the photographs taken during the revolution also give visitors a chance to reflect on how Hungarian photojournalism has changed, and what it means to capture a moment in a defining public event.

The companion materials may be especially interesting for those who, alongside the international images, are also curious about the Hungarian tradition of photojournalism.

Ticket prices and practical information

According to the zoo’s programme page and Time Out Budapest’s summary, ticket prices are as follows:

• Full-price ticket: 5,500 forints
• Discounted ticket: 3,900 forints
• Ticket for children under 6: 400 forints

BESTofBUDAPEST magazine recommends buying tickets online. For exact opening hours and the categories eligible for discounts, it is worth checking the zoo’s website, as these conditions may change.

Anyone who also wants to see the companion exhibitions and read the image descriptions should allow plenty of time for the visit.

A farewell to the Biodome? What was said at the opening

According to Daily News Hungary’s report on the opening, this year marks the third time, and according to the paper’s information also the last, that the Biodome is hosting the World Press Photo exhibition. According to the news site’s report, Endre Sós, director-general of the zoo, said that this would be the last exhibition in the Biodome, and Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony also spoke at the opening.

No official announcement has yet been published about the exhibition’s future venue in Budapest. If the director-general’s words, as reported by Daily News Hungary, are borne out in practice, this year may be the last chance to see World Press Photo images in the Biodome’s distinctive space.

In short: according to the organisers, the Budapest edition of World Press Photo 2026 can be visited in the Biodome until 8 November, and a full-price ticket costs 5,500 forints. Alongside the international award-winning selection, visitors can also see 24.hu’s election selection and Sándor Bojár’s photographs from 1956, making the exhibition both a window onto the world and onto defining moments in Hungarian public life.