Slovene School Museum

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Slovenski šolski muzej

Plečnikov trg 1, SI-1000 Ljubljana

http://www.ssolski-muzej.si

solski.muzej@guest.arnes.si

Phone386 (0) 1 251 3024

ProprietorMinistry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and Ljubljana Urban Municipality

Stane Okoliš, Director

stane.okolis@guest.arnes.si

Founded in 1898 the Slovene School Museum is the oldest specialised museum in Slovenia. It contains a permanent display relating to the development of educational systems and training processes in Slovenia up to 1945.

The museum was opened due largely to teachers' increasing awareness of their profession and national background. The idea originally came from Jacob Dimnik, a primary school teacher from Ljubljana who endeavoured to establish an institution presenting the history of schools and the work of teachers in Slovenia. On the 50th anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph's reign, 2 August 1898, the Slovene Teachers' Association held its annual general meeting at which it was agreed to open a teaching aids exhibition and establish a Museum of Slovene Education. Because the museum was dependent on teachers' organisations for financial support and there was no regular funding for its maintenance, its core activities were hindered, and the museum had to move across Ljubljana several times. Finally in 1938 a Museum of Slovene Education was established. The museum's primary role, defined in 1938, is that of collecting materials on the history of primary and secondary schools operating within Slovene territory. This basic concept was revised in 1951, dividing the museum into three separate units, the collection of exhibits, library, and archives and documentation. At that time the museum also began to undertake research into those institutions dealing with education. In 1960 the museum was renamed the Documentation Centre for the History of Schooling. At the same time, the documentation unit was separated from the archives.

Today's Slovene School Museum still adheres to the work programme conceived more than 10 years ago, but its activities have become much more diverse and varied. Educational activities such as lectures and workshops intended for youth have become significant to the museum’s development. In the more than 100 years of its existence the Slovene School Museum has acquired a large collection of exhibits and materials on the history of schools and pedagogy in Slovenia. Its highly-qualified staff no longer only collect and conserve museum exhibits, but also study and exhibit such items and undertake research on the history of education. Especially interesting among the museum's exhibits and materials are the collections of ‘black and golden books’, including notebooks, certificates, teaching aids, annual school reports, stereoscopic pictures, photographs of school buildings and classrooms, school equipment (desks, chairs, blackboards) and stationery.

Several special exhibitions on school and history of education, accompanied by rich and informative catalogues (69 produced to date), are prepared every year. In addition to the exhibitions, a classroom dating back to the late 19th century is permanently on display.

The Slovene School Museum publishes Šolska kronika - School Chronicle, the only Slovene periodical dealing with the history and traditions of Slovene teachers, teacher associations and the Slovene school system.