Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica in co-operation with its Norwegian partner The Narvik War and Peace Centre has successfully obtained a non-refundable financial grant for establishing an open depository which will be beneficial especially for museum’s future visitors. The aim of the project is to change the way the visitor and museum collections are connected.

The majority of museums has a lot more objects in their collections than they can actually display in their exhibitions. An open depository can thus provide visitors with a deeper insight into the museum’s operations and discover hitherto unseen collection items.

The open depository will also contain an open conservation workplace where the interested parties will be able to observe the conservators’ work during professional treatment of collection items, as well as a study room designed for educational programmes for primary, secondary and high school students and teachers from the city of Banská Bystrica and beyond. Moreover, the study room will also include authentic replicas of the collection objects. Students will be able to hold the replicas in their hands which will make the education more interesting. This opportunity would not have been possible with the original museum exhibits.

We have not forgotten about the professionals either. A number of scholar conferences and workshops will take place within the project.

Through the experience, the Norwegian partner will endeavour to develop the project towards enhancing the skills in the management of collection items while gaining the necessary experience in establishing a similar open collection in their own premises in Norway.

The Open Depository project benefits from a 999 357,00 EUR grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the  EEA Grants and it is co-financed from the State Budget of the Slovak Republic as well.  The aim of the project is to make the collection of the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising accessible to the public in a unique, more attractive form with new construction and technological design. In addition to displaying museum objects in showcases, their stories will be told through new technologies. Except for the opportunity to see hitherto hidden objects, visitors will be able to observe conservators’ work through glass walls. New study depository will be created for professionals where education will take place through collection objects and will be focused on the forms of modern extremism, racism and social intolerance. Expanding the services offered to the public will also increase the number of people visiting the national cultural monument. Together with the Norwegian partner The Narvik War and Peace Centre, numerous professional events dedicated to museum activities will be carried out. Within the duration of the project, a unique place will be created merging the basic needs of the museum in the protection and management of the museum collections, as well as the needs of the general public to learn more about history.

If you want to know more about programmes and projects financed by the EEA Grants in Slovakia, visit www.eeagrants.sk