Museums and galleries Vtáčnik

Among the biggest attractions for visitors to the charming town of Bojnice are undoubtedly Bojnický zámok and the Zoo. Did you know, however, that the Múzeum praveku is also located here? Archaeological research has shown that Bojnice is considered the most precious location of a Neanderthal prehistoric settlement in Slovakia. The museum will tell you more about this interesting topic. So open your eyes, prick up your ears, and enter Prepoštská jaskyňa beneath Bojnický zámok, where this unique museum is located.

The Múzeum praveku v Bojniciach is located just a few minutes from the town center. Perhaps the biggest attraction of this site is that scientists have uncovered as many as 11 layers of prehistoric settlement here. It is assumed that Neanderthal man lived in this area for several thousand years. The discoverer of this unique place is considered to be the Catholic priest and provost Karol Anton Medvecký, who in 1926, along with grammar school students, discovered the remains of a mammoth tooth. In today's museum, visitors can discover various stone tools used by prehistoric man as well as skeletal remains of mammoths, prehistoric horses, deer, prehistoric rhinoceroses, and aurochs. The cave itself is declared a national natural monument.

The museum is suitable for all age groups. Younger visitors will certainly be attracted by the engaging diorama in front of the cave entrance, which captures the life and hunting method of prehistoric man. If you are lucky, you might arrive at a time when the museum is organizing creative workshops or a night tour by the light of burning torches. An original souvenir shop is also located on the premises. Their creators were inspired by the Stone Age and the life of Neanderthal man.

After visiting the cave, you might find it nice to refresh yourself at Termálne kúpalisko Čajka or the Plážové kúpalisko v Bojniciach swimming pool in Bojnice. Your little ones will certainly appreciate a visit to one of the most beautiful zoos in Slovakia, namely ZOO Bojnice. Your stay will also be made more pleasant by the engaging performances of Sokoliari Aquila. Do not miss the unique, already mentioned Bojnický zámok in Bojnice.

Book accommodation near the Múzeum praveku and set off to explore the attractions of Bojnice. After all, such a multitude of attractions that you can visit in this spa town and its immediate surroundings can be found in very few places in Slovakia. It is worth staying longer and accommodating yourself in one of the popular accommodations in Bojnice. Whether you are appealed by apartments Bojnice or rather a cozy room in guests house Bojnice, we will gladly introduce you to our rich offer of accommodation facilities.

Among the significant mining towns in our territory is Kremnica, which is located in the beautiful Kremnické vrchy mountains. It was precisely here that gold and silver were mined in the past, later making their way to the mint. However, to see how this mineral wealth is extracted from the earth, visit the Banské múzeum Štôlňa Andrej.

This atypical museum, located just a few minutes from the town centre, will take you into the secrets of the Kremnica underground. Long ago, mineral resources were mined here. Local enthusiasts and lovers of mining history breathed life back into it and transformed the adit into a museum designed to introduce mining to its visitors. Along the 660 m long route, you will learn many interesting facts about the hard work of miners in this authentic underground environment throughout the year. Information panels present the miners' activities, the various machines they used in their work, as well as the equipment required to perform the job.

With helmets equipped with lights on your heads and lanterns in your hands, you will set off towards a small adventure. It is located 60 m underground and offers not only information on how the workplaces were equipped, but also attractive exhibits. A walk through the original mine adit, accompanied by an explanation of interesting facts, legends, and life stories, will take you roughly 60 minutes. The age of museum visitors is not limited in any way. Near the museum area, there is the route of the Po stopách banskej činnosti educational trail, as well as a cycle route leading to the picturesque mining village of Kremnické Bane.

You do not have to end your journey at this museum alone. You can gain information about coins and their production by visiting the specialized Múzeum mincí a medailí. A captivating explanation of its work is also offered by the Mincovňa mint. The museums are located on the square, and from here, only a few steps separate you from visiting the premises of the Mestský hrad castle. Adrenaline in the blood rises on the Via ferrata na Skalke, which is among the most interesting tourist attractions in Slovakia. A wide spectrum of active relaxation in the water is also offered by the Relax centrum Skalka.

We know that this town has its charm, and you can enjoy its atmosphere if you book accommodation near the Banské múzeum Štôlňa Andrej. You have the option to choose exactly the kind of accommodation where you will feel at home. This will be provided, for example, by cottages and chalets in Kremnica. If you want to be in the center of the action, order private accommodation in Kremnica through our portal. Don't know what to do? Contact us and we will be happy to help you.

Baňa Starovšechsvätých v Hodruši-Hámroch represents one of the oldest and best-preserved mining monuments in the region of Central Slovak mining towns, revealing to visitors an authentic underground world unchanged for centuries.

The site is located in the village of Hodruša-Hámre, in the Žarnovica district, within the Banská Bystrica Region. Baňa Starovšechsvätých is exceptional because it has preserved its original medieval and early modern form without significant modern interventions, allowing visitors to admire the precise work of old master miners. During the tour, you pass through narrow and low corridors that were carved by hand using a chisel and hammer, while traces of this strenuous activity are still visible on the walls today. The exhibition includes not only the mining spaces themselves, but also unique underground chambers, technical monuments, and a mining museum housed in the historic building of the knocker (klopačka). Guides, who are often former miners, enrich the commentary with expert knowledge on geology, mineralogy, and the life of the mining community in Hodruša. The atmosphere underground is enhanced by silence and a constant temperature, with the light of miners' lamps highlighting shimmering minerals in precious metal veins. Due to its authenticity and historical value, the mine forms an important pillar of education about Slovakia's technical heritage and reminds us of the importance of the Hodruša mining district for the former European economy.

What can you find here?

In the area and underground of the mine, you will find accessible historic adits, mining exhibitions with tools, and a unique exhibition of minerals and precious metals. The historic knocker building is available, housing further museum exhibits and documents on the village's history. Before entering the underground, visitors are lent a protective coat, helmet, and miner's lantern for safe movement in the corridors.

Who is the place suitable for?

The place is ideal for lovers of history, geology, and technical monuments who are looking for an authentic experience without commercial additives. It is also sought after by school groups as part of educational excursions and tourists who want to discover the true face of medieval mining. Due to the character of the underground, where there are narrow spaces and low ceilings, the visit is not recommended for people with claustrophobia, and reasonable physical mobility and sturdy footwear are required.

What can you visit in the surroundings?

Just a few kilometers from the mine lies the historic Banská Štiavnica (UNESCO) with numerous monuments, such as the Old and New Castles (Starý and Nový zámok). You can also visit nearby artificial water reservoirs known as tajchy, such as Hodrušský tajch, which offers opportunities for swimming in nature, or the picturesque village of Štiavnické Bane. For view enthusiasts, there is a hike to Mount Sitno or a visit to the Calvary in Banská Štiavnica.