Thousands of hidden items to go on display at Slovak National Uprising Museum after more than 50 years

The Banská Bystrica-based museum is working on the Open Depository.

After 54 years, the SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica is awaiting the most significant and expensive change in its history.After 54 years, the SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica is awaiting the most significant and expensive change in its history. (Source: SNP Museum)

The history of the Second World War and the Slovak National Uprising has been collected in the depths of the Slovak National Uprising Museum in Banská Bystrica for more than half a century. Now, after 54 years, the museum is awaiting the most significant and expensive change in its history.

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Open Depositary

An Open Depository with an area of 267 square metres is being created on the first above-ground floor, where 15,000 objects from the museum's collection will be moved from the underground premises. The construction work should be completed by August 18, 2023, then until the end of the year they will work on a new installation of the collections from the original depository.

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"The expected opening date of the new depository is planned for January 2024," said Dalibor Lesník, deputy director of the museum. As he recalled, this is one of the largest investments of the SNP Museum. The construction is supported by grants from the European Economic Area and the Slovak state budget. The amount of grant amounts to almost €1 million.

"In the original premises, we have developed another investment plan for their use, but we will see how we manage to realise it," added Lesník.

Visitors at the centre of the action

The Open Depository should also present a special form of educational programmes and the demonstrations of the works of conservators and restorers. There are only a handful of museums in the world that can boast of open depositories.

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In addition, the items will have a 2D code that, when loaded through the app, will offer detailed information about the item and the story associated with it. According to Lesník, the details should remain a surprise for visitors.

The Open Depository will have three parts. The first will be an exhibition space, the collections will be stored in shelves so that they are visually accessible.

The second will be an open conservation laboratory, which will be permanently operated as a proper professional workplace. It will allow visitors to watch the conservation interventions, and if visitors are interested, the expert staff will provide consultations or direct demonstrations of the conservation interventions.

The third part will be a study Open Depository with professional services - intended for the professional public (external researchers, collectors, students), designed as a study room connected to the depository.

The permanent exhibition of the SNP Museum consists of about 3,000 collection items.

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