Martin: Museums, Folk Culture and Routes to Martinské hole

Martin combines literary history, regional art and Slovak folk culture with a route toward Martinské hole. If, for your trip to Slovakia, you are looking for more than individual sights and want to explore different types of visitor experience, museums, exhibitions, theatre and an educational trail come together here.

Museums Between Literature and Nature

The Múzeum Andreja Kmeťa is housed in the first SNM building, constructed in 1908. The building was declared a National Cultural Monument by government decree on 16 August 1994. The museum houses the permanent exhibitions Kmetianum and Príroda Turca. Both the history of the building and the region’s natural and cultural heritage are therefore at the centre of the museum.

In the centre of Martin, the Literárne múzeum SNK is located in the first historic building of Matica slovenská. This building was declared a National Cultural Monument in 1961. The exhibition focuses on the history of Slovak literature and book culture and includes a permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, as well as cultural and educational events. The Literárne múzeum SNK is closed to the public until further notice. Guided tours with commentary of the Národný cintorín can still be booked through the Literárne múzeum SNK.

Folk Culture and Regional Art

The Museum of the Slovak Village in Jahodnícke háje in the southeast of the city of Martin is Slovakia’s largest ethnographic open-air exhibition. It presents traditional folk architecture, forms of housing and the way of life in northwestern Slovakia. Since 1991, the museum has organised programme events as part of the ethnographic year. These present examples of traditional folk production, handicrafts, customs and folklore. The Ethnography Museum SNM Martin also hosts temporary exhibitions on various topics throughout the year.

The Turčianska Gallery presents works by visual artists from the Turiec region and several generations in solo, retrospective and group exhibitions. A new permanent exhibition about Mikuláš Galanda is entitled “legenda – la ganda – galanda”. It explores Galanda’s childhood and the experiences that shaped his first graphic works. For a cultural evening, the Slovenské komorné divadlo Martin adds another option: its stage is located in the historic Národný dom, and its repertoire ranges from classical to experimental productions.

A Route Toward Martinské hole

The Ferrata Horskej záchrannej služby Martinské hole leads from Martins Stráne along the Pivovarský potok toward Martinské hole. The lower section is designed as an educational trail. Information boards and rest areas accompany this section before it leads to the actual via ferrata. The ferrata can be reached via a red hiking trail from the Martin Stráne, konečná MHD stop. This connects Martin’s cultural side with a clearly described outdoor route without equating the different types of visitor experience.

Martin as a Cultural Starting Point

For planning your trip, Martin therefore offers several distinct focuses: You can explore Slovak literature and book culture, see regional art at the Turčianska Gallery, discover folk architecture and handicrafts at the Museum of the Slovak Village, or choose the route to the ferrata.

To compare other destinations, you can also view Sučany, Krpeľany, Laskár, Lipovec, Bystrička, Turany and Košťany Nad Turcom.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Martin.