Regional Museum in Prešov It is one of the leading museum institutions in eastern Slovakia. Under the name Tripolitana, it manages collections and exhibitions focusing on the history, culture, art, ethnography and technical heritage of the region. It offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of Prešov and Šariš through historical artefacts, works of art and documents.
Rákóczi Palace and the history of the museum
The Prešov section of the museum has historical links with Rákóczi Palace on Hlavná Street. The Renaissance palace was built in the early 17th century by joining and converting several medieval town houses. It served the needs of Sigismund Rákóczi, Prince of Transylvania, and remains one of the most striking historic buildings in the town centre to this day.
The Prešov Regional Museum has been based at this location since 1956. Throughout its history, it has changed both its name and its focus, whilst gradually expanding its collections and specialist activities. The museum is dedicated to documenting the historical development of Prešov and the wider Šariš region.
Collections offering an insight into life in the Šariš region
The historical exhibitions illustrate the development Prešov from the earliest times right up to 1918. Visitors can view historical furniture, interior accessories, weapons and clocks. Special attention is also paid to the history of education and culture in Prešov, which came to be known as ‘Athens on the Torysa’.
The museum exhibition also includes a memorial room dedicated to To Mikuláš Moyzes, a prominent Slovak composer who was a leading figure in Prešov’s cultural life during the First Czechoslovak Republic.
The museum also manages a numismatic collection A hundred years of the koruna, which documents the use of the koruna and offers an insight into the region’s monetary history.
Ethnography and traditional culture
A significant part of the collections consists of ethnographic exhibition, which provides an insight into the everyday life of the people of Šariš. The topics covered include traditional material and spiritual culture, sheep farming, lace-making and village life in the Šariš region.
Of particular value are the documentary photographs and authentic accounts from eyewitnesses, which capture the customs, work and living conditions of previous generations. The exhibition also features the work of a photographer and ethnographer Ján Lazorík, a prominent chronicler of the region’s folk culture.
Fire Services and Technical Heritage
One of the museum’s areas of specialisation is the history of the fire service and fire-fighting equipment. The exhibition traces the history of fire safety, the establishment of voluntary fire brigades and the gradual development of fire-fighting equipment in Slovakia.
The subject matter goes beyond regional significance and ranks amongst the most notable specialised museum exhibitions of its kind. In addition to photographs and texts, it also features three-dimensional exhibits which give visitors an insight into the practical side of a firefighter’s work.
The Prešov Regional Museum today
The Regional Museum is organised into several branches. In addition to Prešov, its structure includes The manor house and archaeological park in Hanušovce nad Topľou a The Manor House in Stropkov. Together, they form a network of museums that documents the historical and cultural heritage of various parts of the Prešov Region.
Source: OOCR RŠ
Source of photographs: OOCR RŠ
Map
Information
Rákoci Palace is located at 86 Hlavná Street, right in the historic centre of Prešov, and can be easily reached on foot along Hlavná Street.
Since 1956, this Renaissance monument has served as the home of the Regional Museum, which preserves and showcases the region’s history, art, natural heritage and folk culture.
