The Bratislava City Museum is spread across several buildings and chronicles the history of the city. It was established in 1868 and is now Slovakia’s oldest continually running museum. The rich and diverse collections cover such topics as archeological discoveries, weapons, winemaking and the work of famous people associated with Bratislava.
A good place to start your exploration is in the Museum of City History, located in Bratislava’s Old Town Hall. This collection covers every era from the Neolithic period to the present day.
Learn about key city milestones by using the touchscreen displays. Watch the documentary film People and the City, see 17th-century wall paintings and visit the study room of Ovidius Faust, a historian and former director of the museum. Climb up the town hall's tower and then go down into the basement to see artifacts from prehistoric settlements.
Next to the town hall is the 18th-century Apponyi House. Tour its period rooms which include original features, such as wooden wall paneling. The building also contains the Museum of Viticulture, which looks at the history of winemaking in the area.
Michael’s Tower, a minaret-like structure with a green copper roof, is the eye-catching location for the Arms Museum. See displays of bladed weapons used by the military and study the section dedicated to the development of firearms.
Observe antique clocks from the 17th to the 19th centuries inside the Museum of Clocks, located in the House of the Good Shepherd. Pick up insights into the life and works of the composer J. N. Hummel at his eponymous museum. Study the work of Slovak poet and writer Janko Jesenský at the museum housed in his former flat.
Among the other branches of the museum are the Natural Cultural Monument at Devín Castle and Gerulata, the site of an old Roman military base.
Each part of the Bratislava City Museum charges separate admission fees with reduced prices for children, students and pensioners. Savings can be made with a family ticket and a ticket for multiple venues.
