Developing Sustainable Heritage Tourism by Blending Culture, Architecture and the Environment: The Case of the House of Music Hungary

This research explores how a multifunctional and multi-experience music institution can thrive in the 21st century. It takes the case of the House of Music Hungary that has evolved into a cultural hub over the recent years, equally appealing to locals, professionals, employees, and tourists. To lay the foundation of tying architecture and music together, this highly exploratory study used a holistic approach by discussing issues related to tangible and intangible heritage, heritage tourism, and music tradition. Data collection included official state statistics, on-site experiences, and interviews. Interviews with the architect of the project, a music historian, a musician, a cultural manager, and a tourism professional were analysed, applying interpretive phenomenological analysis. The result are presented in a kaleidoscopic framework comprising the core elements identified in the analysis. This paper contributes to the knowledge of developing heritage tourism through the interplay of architecture and music. It shows how they reinforce one another to generate complex experiences, while highlighting the importance of respecting local cultural, social and environmental circumstances. Its exploratory nature did not necessitate the inclusion of visitor interviews at this stage; however, investigating visitor satisfaction may be one of the new directions that scholars can embark on.