Cultural History Curatorship
The Cultural History Curatorship is housed in the Križatije premises. In material terms the
curatorship prioritises the acquisition of objects of applied art and pictorial items
created or used in the narrower region of Dolenjska from the late Middle Ages to the 20th
century. In terms of importance and number of objects, two areas stand out: the history of
Novo Mesto and the operation of the ironworks at Dvor.
Novo Mesto emerged in the Middle Ages owing to the strategic needs of the Hapsburgs, and
over the centuries it acquired a central economic, political, religious and cultural
position in this region. Few material remains of the city’s history have been preserved
from the earliest centuries, with just the collection of documents worth mentioning. With
the development of photography, Novo Mesto too experienced a growth in pictorial material
depicting the life of the townspeople and the image of the town. And with the appearance of
postcards at the beginning of the 20th century came even more such material. In recent
years through the concerted collection of postcards of the town and Dolenjska locations we
have added a wealth of material to the pictorial collection.
The other area of our work is aimed at studying the history and products from the Dvor
ironworks. The ironworks operated from 1796 to 1891 and represented the main industrial
operation in Dolenjska. At this Museum we have been continuously aware of its importance,
and for this reason we keep the biggest collection of products from the ironworks,
including functional and decorative objects mass-produced or made to order. We keep cooking
vessels of various shapes, sizes and purposes, irons, hangers, paperweights, stands,
kitchen mortars, candlesticks, crucifixes, memorial medallions, table and chairs, tiles,
stoves, grave crosses and so forth. We also collect documents related to this ironworks.
One very pleasing aspect is that the objects are entirely restored.
Alongside the items listed above we also keep a collection of furniture and weapons from
the 16th to the 20th century, a small number of functional and decorative glass, porcelain
and ceramic vessels and small everyday items from various materials (clocks, seals, toys
and so forth).
Today the Cultural History Curatorship is custodian of 2,400 items, 4,000 original
photographs and postcards, 8,500 negatives, 1,500 slides and 8,500 card-index photographs.
From 1953 to 1984 the Dolenjska Museum displayed a cultural history exhibition. Since then
we have been searching in vain for premises suitable for a permanent display. Our desire is
to set up an exhibition on the history of Novo Mesto in the premises of the Museum or at
some appropriate location in the town itself, while the exhibition on the Dvor ironworks
belongs in one of the ironworks buildings at Dvor. We keep a wealth of material in
repositories, and this is unfortunately hidden from view. However we do present this to the
public through publications, lectures and temporary exhibitions: Seals of Novo Mesto, A
Hundred Years of Cycling in Novo Mesto, Novo Mesto in Postcards, Embraced by the Waters of
the Krka, The Colours – Town Guard – Music, Play!
photo gallery »
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 Uniform of stagecoach driver from Novo Mesto, first half of 19th century
 Stands for mirror and pocket watch and picture frame, made at the Dvor ironworks, 19th century
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