Music Museum

The museum is a national documentary, scholarly and methodological workplace with nationwide competency which purposefully acquires, preserves, scientifically and professionally processes, uses and makes available museum collections of a musical character, documenting the field of music culture in Slovakia from the earliest times until the present day. Operating within the network of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres, it is the central workplace for preservation and processing of music sources in the territory of Slovakia. It also serves as the national headquarters for Répertoire International des Sources Musicales.

The museum has two departments: Music Department in Bratislava - offices are situated at the north fortification wall Bratislava´s Castle and Manor House in Dolná Krupá. The Music Museum has more than 120 000 registered collectible artefacts. They include manuscript and printed music, autographs, outlines and copies of compositions from the 14th century to the presence, traditional and classical musical instruments of domestic, European and non-European origin, recordings of classical, popular and folk music with an emphasis on documentation of the arts of Slovak music publishers, concert programmes, posters, correspondence of outstanding Slovak authors, reviews and critiques of composition and interpretation activity, photographic material and artistic objects with musical motifs and connections. There are unique score reproductions relating to both Slovak and foreign music, including collections of music acquired from parish choirs and monastic churches. Special collections focus on composer and pianist Ľ. Zamoyská, music publisher G. Heckenast and sources relating to the activity of choirs in Slovakia. The more recent history of Slovak music is represented by collections relating to Slovak composers, performers and theoreticians. The collection of musical instruments comprises both Slovak folk instruments and instruments which document European and non-European cultures.

The scientific research activities of the Music Museum are aimed at solving basic research themes related to the orientation and specialization of the museum with an emphasis on the scientific processing of its own collections. Some research tasks are undertaken in co-operation with other institutions, while another common, long-term research task of all professional staff at the museum is the development of the Slovak Catalogue of Musical Sources.


Manor House of Dolná Krupá

Dolná Krupá is one of the most beautiful examples of rural classicist architecture in Slovakia.

Thanks to Brunswick family, it became a place well-known for its art collections (especially fine arts gallery, rich library, collection of minerals and natural beauty of the park) even beyond the monarchy borders. In a separate theatre building (it existed until 1937), performances were shown with an active participation of lords. A wife of Count Joseph, Maria Anna, born Majtényi, intended to introduce a melodrama with music composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. According to the oral family tradition, Dolná Krupá used to be a place where this musical composer composed his most famous piano opus – "Quasi una fantasia". Chotek family deserves gratitude for developing farming and breeding on the sight. The manor is famous mainly due to Mária Henrieta Choteková (1863 – 1946), who is still famous as a „rose countess“; her rosary counted more than 6 000 roses and a complete collection of Nordic roses (a heritage from Rudolf Geschwind).