WE PRESENT THE 110TH ANNIVERSARY OF KREMNICA MUSEUM

In 1994, the Museum of Coins and Medals at Kremnica became part of the National Bank of Slovakia. This specialized numismatic museum, the only one in Slovakia, is celebrating the 110th anniversary of its origin this year. It is one of the oldest museums in Slovakia, with roots reaching back to the 18th century.

Kremnica, as an important um character, write the first mining and mint centre in the museum catalogue and insta Kingdom of Hungary, had ll an exhibition in three ro- a privileged position among oms of the archives. He did the royal boroughs from its fo- this in 1890. In the first and undation in 1328. This was largest room, he presented guaranteed by the rich gold mi- the tradition of coin and me- nes and operating mint. dal production, supplemen- Although the output of the ted with gun targets. The se- Kremnica gold mines declined cond room contained from the 16th century, the mint religious art, guild objects operated continually and obtai- and a roller striking machine ned precious metals from other from the 17th century. There localities in the Monarchy. The Gold coins from the numismatic collection of the Museum were weapons, town and mi- town was granted various rights of Coins and Medals at Kremnica. ning banners, craft products and privileges, it owned hecta- and souvenirs of important res of forest, villages and other visits in the third room. property. The charters and documents confirming this were From the beginning, coins and medals formed an impor- preserved by the town in its archives. Apart from written tant part of the collections of the museum, which functio- material, the archive also accumulated three dimensional ned first as a town museum, later for the district, and from objects documenting the glory and importance of 1976 as a specialized museum of coins and medals. During Kremnica, for example, objects connected with the royal its 110 year existence, the museum collections were made visits to Kremnica, locks and keys from the town gates, to- accessible to the public by means of three permanent exhi- wn seals, testing needles and a stone for testing the purity bitions: the already mentioned first exhibition arranged by of metal, test strikings of coins, gold and silver medals. In KriÏko in the rooms of the town archives, a second, arran- 1767, a catalogue with the splendid title: ged after the acquisition of the present museu m building in „Register o fthe Jewels of the Famous Royal Borough1956, and the third, specialized exhibition from 1977, and Mining Town of Kremnica“ was written. which still exists today. The town jewels were administered by the mayor, and at Apart from its permanent exhibitions, the museum has al- the end of his term of office officially handed over. Later, so prepared hundreds of temporary exhibitions, in the last the jewels were deposited in the town archives and admi- ten years not only at home, but also abroad. The Town nistered by the archivist. This „Register...“ is actually the Castle, a national cultural monument containing historical forerunner of today’s museum accession catalogues. It is exhibitions has been fully restored. The transition to new the foundation stone, on which the Kremnica archivist management - under the National Bank of Slovakia - incre- Pavol KriÏko founded a true town museum 133 years later. ased the specialization of the museum in documenting the Pavol KriÏko is an important personality in the history of development of money in Slovakia. This year, a plan has Slovak archives. He worked in the Kremnica archives from been worked out for a new permanent exhibition, o riented 1872 to 1901. He did outstanding work, not only as an ar- towards the history of money in Slovakia, framed by the his- chivist, but also a historian and museum curator. He was tory of the town and the local mines, which are closely con- a founder member of Matica Slovenská and the Slovak nected with the production of coins and medals in the Museum Society, and of various Kremnica societies. Kremnica Mint. A public competition for the artistic design Therefore, he had sufficient experience and knowledge to and actual installation of the exhibition is occurring at pre- be able to separate from the archive, collections of a muse- sent. In October, the existing exhibition will be closed to the

BIATEC, roãník 8, 7/2000 39 public, and by the end of 2002, a new, fourth permanent exhibition will be installed, after re- storation of the building. Visitors to Kremni ca this summer have the last chance to see the mu- seum in its present form. The history and activity of the museum at Kremnica are rich. Thanks to the dozens of people who have worked there over more than a century, it has valuable collections, which are still being enlarged, cared for and expertly stu-

Opening of the expert seminar, from the left: Ing. M. Paueo, director of the Kremnica Mint, Mgr. Jana Pelecová from the Ministry of Culture of the SR, Ing. Miroslav NároÏn˘ Mayor of Kremnica, Ing. Vladimír Bu‰‰a director of the Issuing Department of the NBS, PhDr. Naia Vitanovská member of the museum staff, Mgr. Mariana Novotná director of the museum.

Participants in the expert seminar in the Council Chamber of Kremnica.

died. On the occasion of its anni- versary and on the eve of the in- ternational day of museums and galleries, 17th May this year, the museum organized a specialized seminar. It was held in the coun- cil chamber of Kremnica Town Hall, with participants from the NBS, the Ministry of Culture of the SR, the town of Kremnica, the mint, the district office and a large number of colleagues from other museums in Slovakia and Moravia. On this occasion, the museum published a volume of almost 200 pages of papers by eighteen authors. They were mainly con- cerned with different parts of the The 1956 permanent exhibition, the part devoted to the Kremnica Mint. collections. After the lectures, the participants in the seminar visited the museum, and some of them took the opportuni- The activity of the museum in connection with its 110tan- ty to see the most valuable of the gold coins in the store of niversary was positively evaluated. The development and the numismatic collection. The second day of the celebra- orientation of the museum in recent years was especially tions was devoted to the people of Kremnica, who could highly appreciated. We believe that this success will conti- watch a performance of historic swordsmanship by the CA- nue, and the aims set by the museum for the near future will SA NOVA group from Banská Bystrica, in front of the en- be successfully achieved. trance to the Town Castle. Then, the chamber music en- semble MUSA LUDENS from Bratislava gave a concert of PhDr. NadeÏda Vitanovská historic music in St. Catharine’s Church.

40 BIATEC, roãník 8, 7/2000