The idea to present the memoirs of the ecclesiastical art of the Primacy of Kalocsa was worded in 1980. This was the time when the most valuable work of arts was started to be collected.

It was in 1924 when the first thought of establishing a museum first occoured in our institute. The thought was followed by works. In 1931 a small exhibition was arranged at the College, but this was destroyed by the events of World War II. In 1954 a museum room was opened in the college, which was also shut down because of closing up some of the traditional branches. From 1963 negotiations were made again about forming a university museumtól. The Forestry and Timber Industry University was given an operation permit for the Collection of Forestry, Timber Industry and Geodesy.

A definitive role in the foundation of the museum was taken by Mrs. István Lapu who was collecting the objects of peasant interior, costume and farming for decades. Originally the house belonged to the rich peasant Szalai family. It got its present form at the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1990 the Komló Collection of Natural Sciences was founded, whereas the collection of regional history further operated under the name of Regional Town Museum. Following the change of regime both museums were placed in the Main Square of the town. A new collection of natural sciences was opened in 1997 under the title of The Natural Environment of Mecsek.

The stove-setter Antal Fruhmann (1908-1987) of Győr left his house and workshop in his will to the Xántus János Museum. A new exhibition pavilion was set up on the estate where the stove collection of the museum is shown. The workshop is shown as it is while the house is the home of the exhibition presenting the history of stove-setting in the town of Győr. The set of three exhibitions is an unparalleled collection of stove-setting in Hungary.