Krajské múzeum v Prešove

About the museum

The Regional Museum in Prešov began its history in 1945, when the museum board was set up. It opened its first exhibition as a town museum in 1947 in the Kumšt building. From 1950 it has operated as a regional museum, and in 1956 it opened the first exhibitions in its present seat, the Rákoci Palace: natural science, archaeological, historical and ethnographic. Since 1978 the museum has also had an extensive collection of fire-fighting equipment, with an exhibition on firefighting. It has borne the name Regional Museum since 1999.

The Rákoci Palace was created by rebuilding two burghers' houses, a conversion commissioned by Zsigmond Rákóczi. It acquired its present form, with oriel windows and an attic, in the 17th century during a late-Renaissance rebuilding. In 1633 the Peace of Prešov between the Transylvanian prince George I Rákóczi and Emperor Ferdinand II was signed here. After 1701 it served as a prison and later as the residence of the leader of the anti-Habsburg uprising, Francis II Rákóczi. A thorough restoration to its original Renaissance form took place in the 1950s.

The museum is a budgetary organisation of the Prešov Self-Governing Region and operates under the brand Tripolitana; it also has branches in Hanušovce nad Topľou and in Stropkov. The Rákoci Palace is currently temporarily closed for reconstruction.

Highlights

• Renaissance Rákoci Palace with sgraffito decoration
• Site of the signing of the Peace of Prešov in 1633
• Historical, ethnographic and natural science exhibitions
• Unique collection of fire-fighting equipment
• A 19th-century pharmacy and a shawl of Empress Sisi

Permanent exhibitions

• Historická expozícia – The history of Prešov and the region, in the rooms of the Renaissance palace; the palace is temporarily closed.
• Hasičská expozícia – The collection of fire-fighting equipment and the history of firefighting in Slovakia.
• Etnografická expozícia – Ľudová kultúra východného Slovenska – The traditional folk culture of eastern Slovakia.

Founded

1945

Operated by

Prešovský samosprávny kraj

Admission & discounts

The prices apply to the whole museum; admission to an individual exhibition is cheaper (€1, reduced €0.50). The museum states a 50% discount for pensioners, invalidity pensioners and students.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The palace stands on Hlavná street in the centre of Prešov, next to the Co-Cathedral of St Nicholas (Konkatedrála sv. Mikuláša).

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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