Pohronie Museum, Nová Baňa

TThe Pohronie Museum, Nová Baňa originated in 1952 as a municipal museum founded on the initiative of antiquities collector Anton Solčansky. In 1988 it was turned into a museum with a local history orientation for the Pohronie region. The headquarters of the museum are in the former Town Hall – a four-storey Gothic building dating from the second half of the 14th century which was rebuilt in the mid 18th century. It is now a National Cultural Monument. Included in the collections are archaeological finds, objects recalling mining, crafts and folk production (pottery, glass-making, woodcarving), weapons and numismatics, but particularly artefacts relating to the history of Nová Baňa, which entered history in 1772 with the introduction of the first atmospheric engine for pumping water from mines. This model is one of the most valuable exhibits in the museum, and takes its place alongside models of stamping mills, wooden statues from the 15th, 18th and 19th centuries, guild chests, glass paintings and objects documenting local customs and practices.The exhibition History of Nová Baňa presents the origin and early beginnings of the town, the history of its administration, mining, crafts and glass-making. Municipal and mining emblems, seals, mining tools and models of mining equipment help to document the development of mining and of the town after 1337. A remarkable exhibit is ‘The Order’ (1676), which comprises Rules for Mining Youth according to which young miners at Nová Baňa were expected to behave. Authentic guild tables, chests and craftsmen's products complete the image of life in the town. Glass-making traditions are documented by specimens of the most typical glasses, drinking cups and glasses produced by Nová Baňa glassworks from 1907-1952.

The objects on view in the exhibition Prehistoric Settlement of the Ziar Region come from archaeological surveys in the Ziar basin and illustrate development from the Palaeolithic until the end of the Middle Ages.

The Art History exhibition introduces works of sacred art (particularly statues) as well as oil paintings from the area.

The exhibition Folk Expression of the Material Culture of the Inhabitants of Nová Baňa and Environs offers a review of folk creativity, aesthetic feeling and customs of the people of this region in times gone by, as expressed through textiles and ceramic wares, with working implements added from different spheres of country life.

This exposition consists of photos from the Museum archive and it is a mirror of the metamorphoses of our town from the end of 19th century. The contemporary photos and postcards reveal picturesque corners, which have been changed partially or totally due to subsequent gradual architectonic changes.

Putikov Vrsok Volcano - The Youngest Volcano in Slovakia -this exposition was made possible thanks to the scientific discoveries of Slovak Academy of Sciences and thanks to the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. .