National Museum of Slovenia - Prešernova, National museum in Center District, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The National Museum of Slovenia is housed in a Neo-Renaissance building and displays archaeological discoveries, coins, and applied art objects. The galleries are arranged to make it easy to explore each collection area.

Founded in 1821 by decree of Austrian Emperor Francis I as the Estate Museum of Carniola, it opened its first permanent exhibition in 1831 and issued its first collection guide five years later. In 1882 it took the name Rudolfinum, and in 1921 it became the National Museum. Renamed National Museum of Slovenia in 1992, it has occupied its own building since 1888.

The museum's name changed with the political order: Estate Museum of Carniola, Provincial Museum, Rudolfinum, then National Museum in 1921. Its lapidarium holds 200 Roman stone monuments with Latin inscriptions, mostly from Emona and Ig. In 2021 President Borut Pahor awarded the museum the golden Order for Exceptional Merits for its 200th anniversary.

The museum is centrally located near Tivoli Park and easy to reach on foot from the city center. You can visit at your own pace without needing any background knowledge to understand the displays.

The museum preserves a flute from Divje Babe cave that dates back around 40000 years and may be among the oldest known musical instruments. This artifact tells us about early human cultures and their creative expression.