Slovak National Museum

The Slovak National Museum (Slovenské národné múzeum) is the most important institution focusing on scientific research and cultural education in the field of museology in Slovakia. Its beginnings "are connected with the endeavour of the Slovak nation for national emancipation and self-determination".

It is headquartered in Bratislava, however, the Slovak National Museum governs 18 specialized museums, most of which are located outside the city.

History
The Slovak National Museum (SNM) was established in 1961. Its origins lie in the Matica Slovenská Museum and the Museum of the National House in Martin, which developed the Slovak Museology Society. The first permanent exposition funded from a national collection was opened in Martin in 1908. The museum was building archaeological, ethnographic, historical, numismatic, art historical, creative art and natural science collections. The Slovak National Geographic and History Museum was established in Bratislava in 1924 by the Slovak National Geographic and History Museum Society. The Agricultural Museum, a department of the Czechoslovak Agricultural Museum in Prague, was established in Bratislava the same year. In 1940, the Slovak National Geographic and History Museum and the Agricultural Museum were merged into the Slovak Museum. In 1961, the Slovak Museum and the Slovak National Museum in Martin were merged into the Slovak National Museum, based in Bratislava.

On March 11, 2012, the Krásna Hôrka Castle (part of the SNM), was damaged by a fire started when two children were lighting cigarettes. The fire destroyed the roof but most of the historic collections were undamaged. The castle is expected to reopen in 2018.

The museum today
The Slovak National Museum is the most important scientific research and cultural education institution, with the largest and best collections in the museological field in Slovakia. The museum is also dedicated to scientific research tasks and publishing activities. Moreover, the SNM is "a coordination, methodological, professional advisory, statistical, educational and information centre for the whole field of museology in the Slovak Republic."

Building
The Slovak National Museum's headquarters are located on Vajanské nábrežie (a river front street in Bratislava's Old Town), along with the Natural History Museum. The construction of the building, designed by architect M. M. Harminec, began in July 1925 and was completed in 1928. The museum opened on May 4, 1930.