Founding of Mining Museum in Gelnica binds to the reign of Maria Theresa, when in 1766 the city was invited to collect material related to mining and took care of its gentle storage. This was responded in 1932 by higher secondary school director Leopold Gruss.
He collected from the miners and their families mentioned material and stored it at the premises of the school. However, it was closed to the public and served only during the educaion process.
After his death, teacher Samuel Fabrici took over and asked the city to allocate a building for the museum. In 1938 it was opened to the public. The building, however, required significant adjustments, which was not approved by the city board and also inflicted by impending war the museum was closed on March 15th 1939.
The museum Was made available to the public again after the war in 1948. In 1963, after adjusting inner part of the building expositions were installed - astronomy exposition, geology of Czechoslovakia exposition, Spiš geology, anthropology, archeology and mining during feudalism expositions.
In 1965 Mining Museum Gelnica became a branch of Regional Museum in Spišská Nová Ves focusing on the history of mining.
The most valuable expositions of Mining Museum Gelnica
• Oil Painting - The death of a miner - author Július Szent Istvan, 1928
• Statue - Madonna and Child - belongs to the so-called beautiful Madonnas, dates back to the beginning of the 15th century
Article Author: TIK Gelnica