Ljubljana Puppet Theatre Museum Collection

The Legacy of Milan Klemenčič Collection was donated to Ljubljana Puppet Theatre by the artist`s daughter, Mojca Klemenčič, and presented to the public as a permanent museum collection for the first time in 1990. Housed in the attic of Ljubljana Puppet Theatre's headquarters building, the Collection presents a large part of the puppet theatre work created by painter Milan Klemenčič (1875-1957) who, while being educated as a painter in Italy and Germany, gathered the impulses and models for the establishment of his own puppet theatre. The most obvious influence is that of the famous Munich Marionetten-theater. On display here are artistic and technical designs for puppet shows, puppets, scenic elements, and stage and written documents from the artist`s three main creative periods: The Little Puppet Theatre (1910-1917), the Slovene Puppet Theatre (1920-1924) and the Miniature Puppet Theatre (1936-1957). Of particular interest are the tiny, 10cm-high marionettes presented in their original stage setting – certainly one of the tiniest puppet theatres in the world. From the last period of Klemenčič`s activities two shows have been preserved completely: Owl Castle (1936), and Doctor Faust (1938). A few years ago Ljubljana Puppet Theatre revived these shows and presented the artist's legacy 'live'.

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre Museum Collection

Operated by

Financed by