Horehronské múzeum

About the museum

The idea of founding a museum in Brezno, a town with a rich literary history, first appeared in the early 1950s, especially on the initiative of Professor Ladislav Bartko. The museum was founded in 1960 and was originally meant to have a literary-artistic and ethnographic focus. According to the organisational regulations of 1963 it became a local history museum with a collecting area covering the Horehronská kotlina (Horehron Basin) from Lučatín to Telgárt; later it concentrated mainly on ethnography.

In 1965 the museum moved from temporary premises into the historic town hall. In 1988 the historical department and the library moved into the renovated burgher house no. 13 on Námestie gen. M. R. Štefánika (General M. R. Štefánik Square), whose roots go back to the middle of the 16th century. The house was created by joining two originally separate single-storey houses, and its building development is typical of many houses on the Brezno square.

Today the museum has a regional scope and its collections document the history and culture of the districts of Brezno and Banská Bystrica. Since 2002 its founder has been the Banskobystrický samosprávny kraj (Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region). The museum includes the exhibition Brezno v premenách času (Brezno Through the Ages), the literary exhibition Literárne Brezno (Literary Brezno) in the old granary of the Evangelical parsonage, the Ľudová mangľovňa (folk mangling room) with a unique functioning wooden mangle, and an exhibition in the Mestská veža (Town Tower).

Highlights

• Historic exhibition Brezno v premenách času (Brezno Through the Ages) in a 16th-century burgher house
• Literárne Brezno (Literary Brezno) with memorabilia of Martin Rázus
• Ľudová mangľovňa (folk mangling room) with a functioning wooden mangle
• Exhibition in the Mestská veža (Town Tower) from 1833
• Exhibitions and events for children and families

Permanent exhibitions

• Brezno v premenách času – Historical exhibition in a burgher house from the 16th century on the history of the town of Brezno from its founding to 1918 and on notable personalities of Brezno.
• Literárne Brezno – Literary exhibition on literary life in the town, on Martin Rázus and on literary figures from the mid-17th century to the present.
• Ľudová mangľovňa – Ethnographic exhibition with a blue-print (modrotlač) workshop and a wooden mangle, the only functioning building of its kind in Slovakia in its original setting.

Founded

1960

Operated by

Banskobystrický samosprávny kraj

Admission & discounts

A 20% discount applies to holders of valid train tickets with the destination station Brezno and to holders of the Preukaz kultúrneho návštevníka BBSK (cultural visitor card of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region). Admission is free for journalists and holders of ZMS, RGS, ICOM and UNESCO cards. The price list applies from 30 March 2025; the exhibition in the Town Tower has its own price list.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum prepares creative workshops and summer activities for children, for example Múzejných pátračov (Museum Detectives), and offers family tickets.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the main square in Brezno. A 20% discount applies when presenting a travel document for a train with the destination Brezno.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit