Museum of Roma Culture in Slovakia SNM, Martin
The Museum of Roma Culture SNM is a specialised branch museum of the Slovak National Museum, situated close to the Slovak Open Air Village Museum SNM in Martin. It was established in 2002 and its mission is to present Roma culture and to inform visitors of its particularities. Furthermore it aims to collect, scientifically and professionally process and make available to the public documents related not only to the Slovak nation and Slovaks living abroad but also to the ethnic communities that had lived and are living in Slovakia.
The exhibition Romano Drom explores the origin and history of the Roma people from the departure of their ancestors from India until their arrival in Europe. It pays special attention to history of the presence of Roma people in Slovakia and the impact of historical events on their community. A substantial portion of the exhibition is devoted to the traditional culture and way of life of the Roma people. It also aims to present the most common methods of earning a living utilised by the Roma people, including smithery and music, while introducing the most significant Roma performers. Attention is also focused on housing, food, clothing and the social and spiritual culture of the Roma people.
