Regional Museum of Koper

The Koper Regional Museum (Slovene: Pokrajinski muzej Koper; Italian: Museo regionale di Capodistria) has been housed since 1954 in the spacious early 17th century Belgramoni Tacco Palace, and is responsible for the movable cultural heritage in Primorska region of Slovenia. The museum originated in 1911 as the Municipal Museum of History and Art (Museo Civico di Storia e d'Arte). At its centenary in 2011, the museum opened a new permanent exhibition Between the Serenissima, Napoleon and the Habsburgs and enriched its collection.

The first initiatives to establish a museum in Koper-Capodistria took place as early as the late 18th century, but the main push for its foundation was provided by the first exhibition of the Istrian Region in Koper (Prima Esposizione Provinciale Istriana) in 1910. One year later the then Municipality of Koper-Capodistria established the Municipal Museum of History and Art (Museo Civico di Storia e d'Arte), and after the First World War the spacious early 17th century Belgramoni Tacco Palace building was set aside for use as a museum.

During the Second World War, the permanent collection was seriously impaired when many precious works of art were evacuated to Friuli (Villa Manin in Passariano). When 'Zone B' was incorporated into Slovenia in 1954, the museum was renamed the District Museum, and in 1967 its name was changed to Koper Regional Museum (Museo Regionale di Capodistria). From 1981–1985, the museum's central building was completely renovated and this made it possible to expand the museum's activities and to rearrange its collections.

The museum has a wide scope of coverage, mainly concerning Primorska region: archaeology, history, art and cultural history, ethnology and cultural heritage of coastal and karst areas. Important attention is being paid to participation in cultural, scientific and educational establishments and associations, with particular emphasis on cooperation with Slovenian institutions abroad and Italian and Croatian institutions in Istria and Dalmatia.

Today, the parent museum building presents an archaeological collection and collections covering the history of culture, art and history of Istra from its very beginning to the end of the 19th century. The conservation restoration workshop preserves the museum material and organizes the technical days and workshops at the temporary exhibitions in the context of educational activities.

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Wikipedia