Collections
The collections of Bratislava City Museum document the city’s development from the earliest periods to the present day. They include historical, art-historical, ethnological, archaeological and specialised collections, broadening our understanding of Bratislava’s history, with several holding significance beyond the region and across Europe.
The archaeological collection documents the settlement of Bratislava from prehistoric times to the modern era, including exceptional finds from Rusovce and Devín.
The historical collection primarily covers the period from 1526 to 1848, with overlaps into the 20th century, and also includes the oldest museum objects acquired as early as the 19th century.
The historical collection primarily covers the period from 1848 to 1945 and includes two specific subcollections with a supraregional scope extending to the present day.
The collection documents the period from 1945 to the present and is one of the most dynamically developing collections of MMB, with a focus on the period after 1990.
The collection covers the period from 1945 to the present and is continuously expanding, particularly with objects documenting life in Bratislava after 1990.
The collection documents technology used in Bratislava’s homes, offices and public spaces, particularly products dating from 1880–2000.
The photography collection captures the transformations of Bratislava, its inhabitants, events, architecture and landmarks from the beginnings of photography to the present day.
The postcard collection documents Bratislava through the visual aspect of postcards, capturing the city’s appearance, landmarks, places and everyday life.
The art-historical collection documents the development of artistic crafts, applied and fine arts from the 17th century to the present, with an emphasis on Bratislava.
Specialised collections
The Ovid Faust Collection from 1850–1972 is a legacy collection documenting the history of MMB at the intersection of a museum collection and an archival legacy.
The collection documents Bratislava’s cultural, particularly literary, life from 1850 to 2000 and is continuously expanded with new related acquisitions.
The Arms collection, comprising mainly objects from Central Europe, documents arms and equipment from the Middle Ages to 1950.
The specialised numismatic collection focuses mainly on European currencies. Its core was established in 1869 and spans from the 3rd century BC to the present day.
The specialised collection documents the development of pharmacy from ancient times to the present, with a particular focus on the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries.
The specialised collection documents objects dating from the 3rd millennium BC to the early 20th century and their relationship to Bratislava’s burgher class.
The collection of five groups represents the legacy of Janko Jesenský, created between 1951 and 1958 and managed by MMB at the intersection of museum and archive.