The Carinthian Regional Museum was founded in the year 1951 as the district museum of the National Liberation War. Its foundation is connected with the activity of the teacher Bogdan Žolnir (1908 - 1997), who was later the director of the museum for many years.
In the year 1956, the museum was moved to the second floor of the former town hall where it is still housed today. As such it officially functioned until the year 1991. According to its new, specific needs, especially connected with the protection of natural and cultural heritage after the year 1986, it was gradually transformed into a general regional museum. This process of transformation is still going on at the present time. But this also proved to be of some advantage. Today the museum gives permanent employment to ten persons and it covers the archaeological, ethnological and historical sphere together with educational and renovation activities. During this time the institution has also gained some new premises and its programmes are carried out at several locations. It has essentially improved regarding new technical equipment as well.
The museum also researches the past and the lifestyle in Carinthia and has published the results (in its own publications as well). It has extensive archives with a collection of photographs (about 30 metres of archived material and written records), a technical library (with about 4000 pieces), renovation workrooms for wood, metals and pottery as well as modern depots (in the former elementary school at Podgorje) with about 8000 exhibits, of which 6700 have been placed in the inventory and a large number of them have been renovated. The materials are acquired by purchasing, bequests, donations and archaeological excavations. Some of these materials compose rich and interesting thematic collections. The museum has organised a number of its own temporal exhibitions, and it has also housed some exhibitions of other institutions. In this way it meets as many of the broad requirements and interests as possible of its large audience.
Information:
Carinthian Regional Museum
Glavni trg 24
2380 Slovenj Gradec
Phone.: +386 2 884 20 55,
Fax: +386 2 62 12 522
E-mail: info.sg@kpm.si
Web site : http://www.kpm.si