„Publicum meritorum praemium” (that is: The public award of merits) – was teh slogan for the Order of St. Stephen's that was established 250 years ago.

The exhibition is to open in the 250th year of the establishment of the Order of St. Stephen's on May 5 entitled Knights of St. Stephen's in the Hall Palatine József of the Hungarian National Museum .

On 5–6 May 1764 the Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa, Queen of Hungary established medal within the framework of a two-day celebration. The period contemporary Hungarian politicians viewed the act of foundation that Maria Theresa did that as ruler of the Kingdom of Hungary. Indeed, in the original founding documents of the Order of St. Stephen the office of Grand Master " is bound together with the Hungarian crown at all times."

The Hungarian National Museum commemorates the most prestigious medal in Hungary for the first time. With the cooperation of a number of foreign museums and private collections, more than 400 art objects will help us to review the history of the Order, those who received the medal and the donated decorations themselves.

Founded by the Empress Maria Theresa, the Order of St. Stephen is intended solely for rewarding civil merit, for service for the state. The Habsburg Empire was keen to maintain its Hungarian nature all the time.

The highest level of a three-level award badge, the Grand Cross was honoured to a number of foreign heads of state as well, and also served as a means of representation for rulers. The Median Crossis usually a reward to senior people, while theSmall Cross is a recognition who did outstanding work for the territory they live in.

Such outstanding personalities of Hungarian history and artists were awarded by the Order as te Palatine Lajos Batthyányi, Gyula Andrássy, János Arany, Mihály Munkácsy, Pál Szinyei Merse and Pál Teleki.

Napoleon also received the medal for purposes of diplomatic relations, as well as the Czar Nicholas I, Otto von Bismarck, II. Viktor Emanuel, the emperor of Japan Mitsu Hito or the Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan.

During the whole time of the existence of the Order there was just one female member of the Order - Maria Theresa, who was the founder Grand Master who received the award. (After the re-establishment of the Order in 2013, the first medal was given to Krisztina Egerszegi.)

With the end of the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided, so was its awarding system. Miklós Horthy - according to its own provisions - in 1938, on occasion of the Jubilee Year of St. Stephen renewed the Order - and saw himself as the Grand Master. He changed the name to Royal Hungarian Order of St. Stephen's, respectively. However, with the declaration of Hungarian Republic in 1946, the National Parliament terminated.

The treasury that was moved from Vienna to Hungary in 1921–22 with Maria Theresa ornamental vestment and many other honours was destroyed - during the siege of Buda Castle in 1944, and scattered. Today we only know a small fraction of it.

The new life of the Order began in 2011 when the order was re-established as the Hungarian Order of St. Stephen. From 2013 the President of the Republic of Hungary bestows the most prestigious state honour in the form of a large cross, which was given to Krisztina Egerszegi five-time Olympic swimming champion and the economist professor Sándor Lámfalussy the first time.