Múzeum Slovenského národného povstania

About the museum

The Múzeum Slovenského národného povstania is a nationwide central specialised museum, scientific, educational and information organisation with a specialised public Archive of the Museum of the SNP. It collects, professionally processes and makes accessible documents on the history of Slovak society in 1938–1945, with an emphasis on the anti-fascist and national liberation struggle and the Slovak National Uprising as part of the European anti-fascist resistance. It also documents post-war court trials, the rehabilitation of insurgents and manifestations of neo-fascism and intolerance.

The main place of visit is the SNP Memorial in the centre of Banská Bystrica, on Kapitulská ulica. The main permanent exhibition has been closed for a long time for reconstruction since 2 December 2024. Still open to the public are the Open Depository, which shows the backstage of the museum and the care of its collections, and the multimedia exhibition SNP 1944, with audio recordings of witness testimonies and the opportunity to find oneself in an insurgent trench.

The museum also manages other memorial sites connected with the uprising and the war, for example the Pamätník Nemecká, Kalište, the Museum of the Tokajík Tragedy, a Li-2 aircraft and an open-air museum of heavy combat equipment (skanzen) in the grounds of the memorial. Many of the exhibitions are cultural or national cultural monuments and places of commemoration, so the museum asks visitors, especially school groups, to adapt their behaviour accordingly.

Key themes

• Open Depository with a view behind the scenes of the museum
• Multimedia exhibition SNP 1944 with witness testimonies and an insurgent trench
• SNP Memorial in the centre of Banská Bystrica
• Open-air museum of heavy combat equipment in the park by the memorial

Permanent exhibitions

• Multimediálna výstava SNP 1944 – The exhibition presents collection objects in a new way, with audio recordings of witness testimonies and the opportunity to find oneself in an insurgent trench.
• Otvorený depozitár – The museum's backstage: the collection fund in new contexts and examples of the care of various types of collections.

Founded

1955

Admission & discounts

War veterans, employees of the Ministry of Defence of the SR, members of the Zväz múzeí na Slovensku, the Slovenská historická spoločnosť at SAV (Slovak Historical Society at the Slovak Academy of Sciences) and the Spoločnosť slovenských archivárov (Society of Slovak Archivists), members of the SZPB and of the Klub priateľov Múzea SNP (Club of Friends of the SNP Museum) also enter free. Photography and video are free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

The exhibitions deal with war, including violence and the suffering of the civilian population; the museum recommends that school groups and parents prepare children for the visit. The museum offers educational programmes for schools.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the very centre of Banská Bystrica at Kapitulská ulica No. 23.

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