A key task of any museum is not only to put together and curate its collections of artefacts, but also to present them to the public. Therefore, every year the Museum of Coins and Medals in Kremnica puts on a variety of cultural events to give visitors a closer look at the riches in its collections.
Night of Museums and Galleries
This European-wide event that is held in conjunction with the International Day of Museums, usually in May, based on an initiative of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication.
It was first held in 2005. Since then the number of participating museums has increased every year both in Europe and in some countries outside Europe. The event is held under the aegis of the Council of Europe and in partnership with other organisations, including UNESCO, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the ministries of culture of participating countries, and cultural institutes.
The main idea of the event is to let the public see museums in a different light by opening them up to evening or night visits. The MCM takes this opportunity to offer various programmes and special events that make a museum visit a unique experience. On this night there is free admission to the museum.
Ready! Aim! Fire!
A series of attractive summer events kicks off in July with a show for families with children: “Ready! Aim! Fire!” The venue is the Burgher House (Štefánikovo nám. 32/38) in Kremnica, in the new history and art exhibition “Dead on target! The Kremnica Burgher Shooting Society and its shooting targets”.
A dramatized tour of the exhibition brings to life the stories of members of the Burgher Shooting Society in combination with sound and light effects. The incredible atmosphere of a shooting party is recreated in the children’s shooting gallery area.
A part of the programme also takes place on Štefánik Square, with demonstrations of historical firearms for the adults and tournaments for children. The event also includes creative workshops.
Picnic at the Castle
Summer is the right time for fun and adventures in the open air and Kremnica’s town castle makes an ideal place to relax, unwind and enjoy some fun and games. This full-day event is intended mainly for holidaying families with children. Performers offer a diverse mixture of live music and entertainment to put everyone in the picnic mood whether they are walking, standing or sitting. Various games are organised for those of a playful nature. Young artists enjoy the summer school in painting on canvas.
Alongside this, the Saturday summer picnic is a fascinating opportunity to explore the town castle. In between rests on a picnic blanket, visitors can tour its many exhibitions, including the ascent of 127 steps to enjoy the unique panorama of historic Kremnica and the surrounding mountains from the tower of St Catherine’s Church.
Food kiosks offer healthy picnic food, cakes, savoury pastries and sweet gingerbreads, and there will be stalls selling charming little souvenirs and all sorts of surprises, drawings and toys… Summer refreshments are provided by a pop-up teashop.
Stories in the Museum
Another popular summer event is Stories in the Museum Dramatized tours exploring the history of Kremnica introduce visitors to extraordinary events to rekindle interest in the town’s wealth of stories.
Individual scenes take place in the Two Faces of Money exhibition and the event has an accompanying programme in the museum courtyard.
Don’t miss these enchanting stories in the museum full of fun and adventure linked to historical facts. Come and relive the great events of Kremnica!
European Heritage Days
Every September during the European Heritage Days, the Museum of Coins and Medals organises a variety of events, presentations and promotional activities to bring its exhibitions closer to the public.
The venue and schedule of events is adapted to the declared theme to offer visitors an interesting mix of experiences in the presence of art.
Children’s Halloween in Kremnica
Halloween is a time of mysteries, and Kremnica is rich in them too. Children in costumes and masks take part in a secret lantern procession through the streets of Kremnica as it goes dark.
In the beautiful long evening shadows of the town castle, there are unforgettable magic moments with strange and mysterious sights and stories. In this evening performance like no other, Halloween figures tell blood-chilling tales in flickering candlelight. Visitors wandering in the town and the castle will be sure to encounter mysterious will-o-the-wisps that may help to light the way.
Experience the magic of Kremnica and its town castle wrapped in the twilight of an autumn evening… You can expect a wonderful evening full of entertainment, music, lights and ghosts.
Autumn in the Museum
During Seniors Appreciation Month, the museum prepares a pleasant morning for older people and offers them an interesting programme.
The community education programme of museum visits for seniors has operated systematically since 2009. The museum designs special programmes tailored to participants in lifelong learning in this age group.
The programme usually includes intergenerational meetings, with the younger generation frequently being represented by pupils from the Elementary Art School in Kremnica, who perform their music for the seniors.
Christmas at the Castle
To close the year, the museum organises a special festive event under the title Christmas at the Castle. Dramatized tours in period costumes with a Christmas theme bring the Kremnica town castle to life.
The festive stories transport visitors into fairy tales or the past and illustrate preserved Christmas traditions and customs. The Christmas atmosphere is further enhanced by miniature cribs and a live Nativity scene.
For the youngest visitors, a creative workshop is organised in the town hall where they can make various Christmas decorations, cards and greetings.
Concerts
Each year the museum puts on several concerts, most of which are held in St Catherine’s Church in the town castle to take advantage of its outstanding acoustics. The church has a Rieger-Kloss organ that was installed in 1992 and is one of the most modern in Slovakia. Besides the organ, the church provides excellent conditions for concerts of various other musical instruments, ensembles, and genres. The museum also puts on concerts in some of its more intimate spaces (Burgher House, Gallery, Numismatic Exhibition). The Miners’ Bastion in the town castle is a charming venue for summer concerts.
During the year, the museum organises traditional Easter and Advent concerts as well as concerts marking special occasions (European Cultural Heritage Days, the museum’s anniversary, significant cultural events, benefit concerts). St Catherine’s Church also hosts performances that the museum organises in cooperation with partners such as the CAPALEST festival of poetry, drama and music. During the summer, the Kremnica town castle becomes the venue for the unique international event, One Day Jazz Festival.
In the summer months, visitors to the town castle and St Catherine’s Church can enjoy short Organ Recitals that enable to both see and hear this outstanding instrument. Organists will play excerpts from classical works by well-known composers, contemporary compositions and film scores.
Pupils of the J. L. Bella Elementary Art School in Kremnica demonstrate their skills in a concert in the gallery entitled ARS MUZIKA & PINGENDI ARS. The combination of music and visual art creates synergies between the two artforms. Music gains colour and tones ring out from the pictures.