Heim Pál National Pediatric Institute was founded in 1907 as an educational and health institution for orphaned children. Throughout and after the First World War, it operated as an orphanage.
After the Second World War, it was renovated and became a national institute for treating children. In 1953 it was named after János Bókai, a famous Hungarian pediatrician of the 19th century, and a few years later, it was renamed after Pál Heim, another famous pediatrician. By this time, the Children's Hospital was operating with 555 beds. In 2005, the Children's Hospital was merged with Madarász utcai Gyermekkórház, another well-known and respected Hungarian children's hospital.
Today, Heim Pál National Pediatric Institute is one of Hungary's most prominent children's hospitals.[citation needed]
