Moderna galerija (Museum of Modern Art), Ljubljana

Moderna galerija (Museum of Modern Art) is Slovenia’s national museum for 20th-century modern art. Its purpose-built home was designed in the 1930s by Edvard Ravnikar, shortly after his studies with Jože Plečnik and before his training with Le Corbusier in Paris. The modernist design includes details inspired by Plečnik. Construction began in 1939, paused during the Second World War, and was completed with funding from Dragotin Hribar’s heirs before the museum opened in 1948.

The collection follows Slovenian art from Impressionism to the post-war avant-garde and includes newspapers, posters, drawings, and prints created by the resistance during the 1940s. A major exhibition of Slovenian Impressionists in 1949 challenged the official preference for Socialist Realism, while the International Biennial of Graphic Arts, launched here in 1955, helped establish the country as an important centre for printmaking.

Visitors can also see works connected with Neue Slowenische Kunst, the influential 1980s art collective known for combining political symbols, music, theatre, and visual art. Temporary exhibitions, lectures, screenings, workshops, a research library, an archive, a café, and a museum shop complement the permanent display. Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month.