European Days of Archaeology

The Slovak National Museum has prepared a special program for you on the occasion of European Archaeology Days. 🌿

This popular Europe-wide event brings archaeological heritage and the work of archaeologists closer to the general public. The idea of promoting and presenting archaeology originated in 2010 in France at the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) and gradually spread to other European countries. Since 2020, Slovakia has been one of them.

Program:

Friday, June 13, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

CONSERVATION WORKSHOP – Conservators from the SNM – Archaeological Museum will give a short lecture and presentation on the finds that come to their workshop, what needs to be done with them, and how they collaborate with archaeologists. Participants will try their hand at cleaning, gluing, assembling, and reconstructing missing parts of ceramic fragments and will take their work home with them. The program lasts approximately 2 hours. It is aimed at adults and young people over 12 years of age.

Please note that capacity is limited. If you would like to reserve a place, please send an email to: anna.bajanova@snm.sk

Saturday, June 14, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

FOCUS ON ANIMALS – a guided tour of the museum for families with children on the topic of Animals in Prehistory and Antiquity. We will search for and learn about animals in archaeological finds in the museum, talk about what we know about animals in human life in the past, how and when they began to live with humans, how domestication could have taken place, what unsolved mysteries we have, and so on.

METALWORKING WORKSHOP – The tour will be followed by creative workshops – metalworking games – children can hammer out their own copper medallion with an animal motif and take it home with them.

Please note that capacity is limited. If you would like to reserve a place and materials for the metalworking workshop, please contact: anna.bajanova@snm.sk

Sunday, June 15, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

FUNNY ABOUT CASTLES – The program includes a short tour of the exhibition Life in Castles and Fortresses, adapted for children. Then we will move to the cellar, where an interactive exhibition called Fun with Castles and creative workshops are prepared. Children will make a SMALL MODEL OF A CASTLE, which they can take home.

At the interactive exhibition, children can build their own castle, find out for themselves what was in the castle ruins, “cook” a medieval recipe in the castle kitchen, try on some clothes, or play some games (chess, checkers, dice, cards) that were also played in castles. We will also introduce the castle prison and punishments for certain offenses (they will find out if it is pleasant to be locked up in a stocks, or they can turn into a terrible executioner). Finally, we will talk about the demise of castles, and children can try to conquer the castle. Those who are interested can also draw up and seal a document.

Sunday, June 15, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

CASTLE TOUR – author’s tour of the exhibition Life in Castles and Fortresses at the SNM – Archaeological Museum, followed by a walk along the embankment through the former Zuckermandel and Vydrica to Bratislava Castle – we will present the history and archaeology of the castle grounds and the castle itself – the individual construction phases, what can be seen in the field and what can be seen in the castle itself. The castle tour begins at the SNM – Archaeological Museum and ends at Bratislava Castle. Please consider whether the event is suitable for you in view of the outdoor transfers and walking uphill to the castle hill. The event will take place in case of favorable weather.

Please follow the schedule for individual events. If the weather is favorable, children can also play in the archaeological sandbox in the courtyard.

The program is subject to change.

A single admission fee of 5 € applies to all events.

Location: Slovak National Museum – Archaeological Museum, Žižkova, Bratislava, Slovakia
Date: 13.06.2025 – 15.06.2025
Time: from 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Admission: 5 €

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