The Ljubljana Puppet Theatre (Lutkovno gledališče Ljubljana) is the country's premier institution committed to carrying on the long and fruitful tradition of Slovenian puppetry. Since its foundation in 1948, it has been located in a building which had previously housed the famous Slovenian Marionette Theatre, run by the founding father of Slovenian puppetry, the painter Milan Klemenčič. Apart from being home of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, the building also hosts theatre productions and cultural and educational events for children and young people.
The Ljubljana Puppet Theatre has staged a large number of popular and internationally acclaimed productions, the best known being Zvezdica Zaspanka (Little Sleepy Star), Žogica Marogica (Spotty the Ball), Ostržek (Pinocchio) and Kozlovska sodba v Višnji Gori (Goat's Court Case in Višnja Gora). The Theatre organizes two biennial puppet festivals for children and adults, Zlata paličica (Golden Stick) and Lutke (Puppets), which bring together puppet troupes from around the world.
