Exhibition opening 21 may at 6 pm Functionality, form, production, and technological requirements (in particular typification and standardization), market performance, and socially balanced living conditions were all key considerations that guided Biba Bertok’s work as designer. Bertok designed more than forty furniture systems and programmes over the course of her career, most of them for serial production. Bertok belonged to that body of architects and industrial designers who insisted that design is an integral part of any product. According to her, there were two ways of practicing her profession: the one adopted by the most accomplished, trailblazing designers searching for new visions of the future, and the other, made up of those who design for everyday life and industrial production (and are often overlooked in the Slovenian context). The latter, she wrote, are the “diligent designers” who aspire to elevate not only the aesthetic qualities of a design, but ...
The photography exhibition The Future Belongs to the Young. is the result of a collaborative effort within Museum in the Community, a project developed by MAO together with residents and institutions of the Nove Fužine neighbourhood. During analogue photography workshops mentored by Matjaž Rušt and Robert Marin of The Most Beautiful City in the World, young participants explored every aspect of the photographic process, from the technical and conceptual to the selection of photographs for the exhibition. Through the camera lens, participants observed their surroundings, capturing everyday moments and personal perspectives. The analogue approach played a key role, slowing down the process and fostering a more patient and thoughtful approach to creation. As the result is not immediately visible, attention shifts from the final product to the process itself – to observation, reflection, and experimentation. Photography thus becomes a tool for understanding space, personal ...
In 2026, when many Slovenian museums and institutions are dedicating their activities to exploring and presenting the work of architect Vlasto Kopač (1913–2006), MAO is exhibiting his project The Path Along the Wire. Over the decades and through social changes, the path has changed its name—originally the Path Along the Wire of Occupied Ljubljana, it later became the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship, then the Avenue of Remembrance and Comradeship, the Green Ring, and finally simply PATH. It is a monument to occupation and resistance. It is a monument, but not an object; rather, it is a space that enables a ritual of commemoration through walking. At the same time, it serves as a recreational area, a city park, and a sports infrastructure. The Path Along the Wire is an unfinished, constantly evolving project. It began as a cart track that followed the traces of wartime-occupied Ljubljana, along the route of the barbed-wire perimeter that, for 1,117 days, separated the city from ...
Ecological Perspectives in the MAO Collection, 1930–1979 The exhibition opening will be on Thursday, 18th December, at 7 PM. The exhibition Is Nature Modern? explores modernistic architecture and design’s relationship to nature and their approach to ecological thinking. The exhibition takes as its starting point the collection of the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) and its extensive selection of projects, objects, and documentation from the fields of architecture, design, and photography of the 20th century. The Modernist ideal of progress, anchored in notions of continuous economic growth and industrial production, has particularly defined this century in the Global North. This ideal has directly contributed significantly to the depletion of natural resources and global warming. Modernism seems to have drawn a sharp divide between nature and society: through intellect, technology, and planning, humankind placed itself above and outside nature, and ...
Workshop / next event: 24. 5. 2026 / 10:00
For those who prefer to create on their own, the MiniMAO playroom opens its doors roughly once a month. Here, young visitors can independently explore themes from the current exhibitions at the Museum of Architecture and Design through puzzles and fun challenges. The playroom is fully stocked with various tools and materials—such as cardboard, wooden rods, and Lego bricks—allowing kids to test and bring their own architectural and design ideas to life. The MiniMAO playroom is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the following dates: May 24, June 20, September 20, October 18, November 29, and December 27. *On June 20, for Summer Museum Night, the MiniMAO playroom will exceptionally be open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For those who prefer to create on their own, the MiniMAO playroom opens its doors roughly once a month. Here, young visitors can independently explore themes from the current exhibitions at the Museum of Architecture and Design through puzzles and fun challenges. The playroom is fully stocked with various tools and materials—such as cardboard, wooden rods, and Lego bricks—allowing kids to test and bring their own architectural and design ideas to life.
The MiniMAO playroom is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the following dates: May 24, June 20, September 20, October 18, November 29, and December 27.
*On June 20, for Summer Museum Night, the MiniMAO playroom will exceptionally be open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For those who prefer to create on their own, the MiniMAO playroom opens its doors roughly once a month. Here, young visitors can independently explore themes from the current exhibitions at the Museum of Architecture and Design through puzzles and fun challenges. The playroom is fully stocked with various tools and materials—such as cardboard, wooden rods, and Lego bricks—allowing kids to test and bring their own architectural and design ideas to life.
The MiniMAO playroom is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the following dates: May 24, June 20, September 20, October 18, November 29, and December 27.
*On June 20, for Summer Museum Night, the MiniMAO playroom will exceptionally be open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Workshop / 5. 6. 2026 / 10:00
On the first weekend of June, as part of the European initiative Rendez-vous aux jardins (Meet Us in the Gardens), we invite you to visit parks and gardens in more than twenty European countries. This year’s theme is viewpoints. The initiative, which originated in France, aims to bring the diversity and richness of garden and park heritage closer to the public, highlight its cultural significance, and emphasize the positive impact of green spaces on people’s well-being. Join us in the MAO park! The park of the Renaissance Fužine Castle, home to the Museum of Architecture and Design, was arranged in the 19th century. It is characterized by old tree species such as plane trees and chestnuts, as well as landscaped paths along the river, creating a pleasant blend of natural and cultural environments. At the event, we will explore different tree species, make leaf and bark prints, build a model of the park and the castle, and try out the role of landscape ...
On the first weekend of June, as part of the European initiative Rendez-vous aux jardins (Meet Us in the Gardens), we invite you to visit parks and gardens in more than twenty European countries. This year’s theme is viewpoints. The initiative, which originated in France, aims to bring the diversity and richness of garden and park heritage closer to the public, highlight its cultural significance, and emphasize the positive impact of green spaces on people’s well-being.
Join us in the MAO park!
The park of the Renaissance Fužine Castle, home to the Museum of Architecture and Design, was arranged in the 19th century. It is characterized by old tree species such as plane trees and chestnuts, as well as landscaped paths along the river, creating a pleasant blend of natural and cultural environments.
At the event, we will explore different tree species, make leaf and bark prints, build a model of the park and the castle, and try out the role of landscape architects. Along the way, we will also discover interesting architectural elements, including the original roof turret from the Provincial Mansion (now the seat of the University of Ljubljana), and visit a nature-based playground created as part of the Museum in the Community project. We will explore a hidden pond, learn about urban beekeeping and the importance of ecological corridors, and observe birds and other park inhabitants.
The event is intended for children and young people up to the age of 15.
On the first weekend of June, as part of the European initiative Rendez-vous aux jardins (Meet Us in the Gardens), we invite you to visit parks and gardens in more than twenty European countries. This year’s theme is viewpoints. The initiative, which originated in France, aims to bring the diversity and richness of garden and park heritage closer to the public, highlight its cultural significance, and emphasize the positive impact of green spaces on people’s well-being.
Join us in the MAO park!
The park of the Renaissance Fužine Castle, home to the Museum of Architecture and Design, was arranged in the 19th century. It is characterized by old tree species such as plane trees and chestnuts, as well as landscaped paths along the river, creating a pleasant blend of natural and cultural environments.
At the event, we will explore different tree species, make leaf and bark prints, build a model of the park and the castle, and try out the role of landscape architects. Along the way, we will also discover interesting architectural elements, including the original roof turret from the Provincial Mansion (now the seat of the University of Ljubljana), and visit a nature-based playground created as part of the Museum in the Community project. We will explore a hidden pond, learn about urban beekeeping and the importance of ecological corridors, and observe birds and other park inhabitants.
The event is intended for children and young people up to the age of 15.
Vodstvo / 6. 6. 2026 / 11:00
As part of the Rendez-vous aux jardins (Meet Us in the Gardens) initiative, when numerous gardens and parks across Europe open their doors to the public, we invite you to join a guided tour of the Fužine Castle park at MAO. The Fužine Castle park represents an important example of the interplay between historical landscape design and contemporary urban space. It took on its present form in the 19th century, when Fidelis Terpinc, the then owner of the castle, transformed the grounds into a park. Plane trees, cypresses, carob trees, and other exotic trees and shrubs were planted. The park was renovated in the early 1990s. Today, it is a public space at the intersection of natural heritage, a riverside environment, and dense residential development. This layering raises a number of questions about its management, significance, and future development. Through its historical context and transformations, the tour will present the park from the perspective of landscape ...
As part of the Rendez-vous aux jardins (Meet Us in the Gardens) initiative, when numerous gardens and parks across Europe open their doors to the public, we invite you to join a guided tour of the Fužine Castle park at MAO.
The Fužine Castle park represents an important example of the interplay between historical landscape design and contemporary urban space. It took on its present form in the 19th century, when Fidelis Terpinc, the then owner of the castle, transformed the grounds into a park. Plane trees, cypresses, carob trees, and other exotic trees and shrubs were planted. The park was renovated in the early 1990s. Today, it is a public space at the intersection of natural heritage, a riverside environment, and dense residential development. This layering raises a number of questions about its management, significance, and future development.
Through its historical context and transformations, the tour will present the park from the perspective of landscape architecture, spatial use, and contemporary environmental challenges. Special emphasis will be placed on biodiversity and sustainable management practices (such as mowing intensity, the role of urban beekeeping, and the identification and evaluation of wild-growing, including edible, plant species).
The guided tour will be conducted in collaboration with members of the Trajna association for the development of sustainable design.
As part of the Rendez-vous aux jardins (Meet Us in the Gardens) initiative, when numerous gardens and parks across Europe open their doors to the public, we invite you to join a guided tour of the Fužine Castle park at MAO.
The Fužine Castle park represents an important example of the interplay between historical landscape design and contemporary urban space. It took on its present form in the 19th century, when Fidelis Terpinc, the then owner of the castle, transformed the grounds into a park. Plane trees, cypresses, carob trees, and other exotic trees and shrubs were planted. The park was renovated in the early 1990s. Today, it is a public space at the intersection of natural heritage, a riverside environment, and dense residential development. This layering raises a number of questions about its management, significance, and future development.
Through its historical context and transformations, the tour will present the park from the perspective of landscape architecture, spatial use, and contemporary environmental challenges. Special emphasis will be placed on biodiversity and sustainable management practices (such as mowing intensity, the role of urban beekeeping, and the identification and evaluation of wild-growing, including edible, plant species).
The guided tour will be conducted in collaboration with members of the Trajna association for the development of sustainable design.