Bankarium, the Slovenian Banking Museum

Bankarium, the Slovenian Banking Museum presents the history of Slovenian banking, allows visitors to experience past and present bank practices, and shares finance-related knowledge. It is housed in a prominent Secession building on Čop Street (Čopova ulica), which once served as the headquarters of the Ljubljana Municipal Savings Bank.

The museum, which opened in June 2021, has a modern design, incorporating numerous interactive and multimedia approaches. Its mission is to preserve, study and popularise Slovenian banking history.

Permanent exhibition

This exhibition uses a timeline and video to present the development of banking across the globe, money and its purchasing power in Slovenia over the past two hundred years, the development of savings banks, credit unions, and banks during this period, and the personalities directing this development.

The second part of the exhibition focuses on bank practices. Three bank counters are displayed, allowing visitors to compare the various work methods and customer-oriented approaches used since 1905. The interior of an ATM shows the composition and operation of a bančni samopostrežnik, or "banking self-service machine", as the device was termed in Slovenian back in the 1990s. Also on display are safe deposit boxes and the most secure section of any bank – the vault, where visitors can take on the role of the vault staff counting cash and checking the authenticity of banknotes. Using a 3D headset, visitors can immerse themselves into the world of virtual reality and learn about the digital transformation of banking.

Financial literacy digital centre

The financial labyrinth located at the heart of the museum teaches visitors how to be smart with money. The labyrinth has six stations where visitors can test their relationship with money and play a game of financial Tetris, monopoly, snake, and stock exchange, learning the rules on how to budget their money, finance their purchases, save up (for a specific goal and financial security) and invest their money wisely through diversification on the way. At the last station they can test their financial literacy and play the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? quiz to check their familiarity with financial terms.

Bankarium shop

The Bankarium museum shop offers a wide selection of souvenirs and useful items associated with money or banks that have been produced by the Slovenian entrepreneurs selected in the NLB's socially responsible contest Okvir pomoči (Aid Framework). You can choose between a wide range of piggy banks, wallets and purses, coin pouches and financial games, and if you’re a numismatics enthusiast you’ll love the shop's extensive collection of coins and banknotes issued between 1980 and 2014.

Opening hours

Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm

Closed: Mondays and 1 January, 1 May and 1 November 24 to 31 December: 10 am to 2 pm

Accessible to persons with movement disabilities

Designated path from the car park/public transport to the building
Designated entrance for persons with movement disabilities
Designated sanitary facilities accessible to persons with movement disabilities
Adequate access to the building for persons with movement disabilities (hallways, staircase, lift, etc.)
Accessible event space for persons with movement disabilities
Accessible information desk/cash register for persons with movement disabilities

Contacts

Čopova ulica 3 1000 Ljubljana

Phone: +386 1 476 43 12

Email: bankarium@nlb.si

Web site: Bankarium, the Slovenian Banking Museum

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