J. M. Petzval Museum in Spišská Belá

Museum & Gallery

J. M. Petzval Museum in Spišská Belá is one of the detached exhibitions of the Slovak Technical Museum in Košice, the only museum in Slovakia focusing on the history of science and technology in this area.

J. M. Petzval Museum in Spišská Belá is one of the detached exhibitions of the Slovak Technical Museum in Košice, the only museum in Slovakia focusing on the history of science and technology in this area.

Located at his native house, the exhibition presents photographic and cinematographic technology developments on the background of J. M. Petzval’s life and work.

There are more than 600 exhibits documenting the photographic optics history. Moreover, the attention is focused on Petzval’s inventions documentation, including his most famous objective lens.

Visitors may find out a lot about photographic equipment developments from gas lamps to photocopying machines. The unique collection of camera shutters is especially remarkable.

A special section has been dedicated to the origins of cinematography whose development was also significantly influenced by Petzval’s discovery.

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Petzvalova 286/30059 01Spišská Belá
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Operation Times

MondayClosed
Tuesday – Saturday10:0016:30
SundayClosed

Každá 1. nedeľa v mesiaci vstup zdarma v čase 12.00 - 16.30 hod.

Weather Forecast

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Moderate rain
24°C/ 13°CDay / Night
Gentle breeze, 5m/s
North
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Moderate rain
21°C/ 11°CDay / Night
Gentle breeze, 5m/s
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Overcast clouds
18°C/ 9°CDay / Night
Moderate breeze, 7m/s
Northwest
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Light rain
19°C/ 10°CDay / Night
Gentle breeze, 4m/s
Northwest
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Light rain
20°C/ 10°CDay / Night
Light breeze, 3m/s
South
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Light rain
16°C/ 8°CDay / Night
Gentle breeze, 5m/s
North
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Broken clouds
21°C/ 9°CDay / Night
Light breeze, 2m/s
East

Places Around

Ždiar - typical Goral community

ŽDIAR is a typical Goral community situated between the mountains of the Belianske Tatry and Spišská Magura. It is a tourist centre and the starting point for trips to the mountains Belianske Tatry.

Manor house Strážky

The local part of Spišská Belá - Strážky in the east of Slovakia today represents a complete compound of cultural and historical monuments. The manor house in Strážky is a gem of the Renaissance architecture in Slovakia.

Kežmarok Castle

Kežmarok Castle

The dominant of the town Kežmarok is the Castle Kežmarský hrad that has entered the history of tourism in the High Tatras as the salient point of the first known tourist trip to this mountain range.

Kežmarok – Church of the Holy Trinity

One of the best preserved Slovak wooden sacral buildings is the articled Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity (Kostol sv. Tojice) in Kežmarok. In 2008, along with seven wooden churches of the Slovak part of Carpathian Mountain Area, it was included on the UNESCO Word Heritage List.

Ždiar - typical Goral community

ŽDIAR is a typical Goral community situated between the mountains of the Belianske Tatry and Spišská Magura. It is a tourist centre and the starting point for trips to the mountains Belianske Tatry.

Ethnographic natural exposition - open-air museum in Stará Ľubovňa

The Museum of Folk Architecture, which is located at the base of the Castle Ľubovňa in northern Slovakia, represents a separate exposition. It features a set of traditional buildings from the surrounding villages, which, coupled with the Castle, gives rise to unique and highly impressive scenery.

Ľubovňa Castle

Ľubovňa Castle

On a limestone cliff of 711 m over Stará Ľubovňa in the north-east of Spiš stands Ľubovňa Castle. Rulers met here in the past, it is the place where Polish coronation jewels were hidden and where famous adventurer, noble man and King of Madagascar, Móric Beňovský was imprisoned.

Ostruňa - typical Goral village

OSTURŇA is a typical Goral village in a wide valley of the Osturniansky potok brook. It is probably the longest village extending over the banks of a brook in Slovakia. There are many original Goral buildings preserved in the commune.

Plaveč Castle

Plaveč Castle

The ruins of the Plaveč Castle from the 13th century adorn the top of the hill towering above the wide valley of the Poprad river. It is an ideal place for unique views.

Events Around

Spiš Markets

Jul 16Jul 19
Spiš Markets

Spiš Markets 2026

GOOD FEST POPRAD 2026

Jul 17Jul 19
GOOD FEST POPRAD 2026

Days full of programs for children, engaging lectures and concerts. GoodFEST is a festival for everyone. Good food, good music full of joy and hope, a good program for children and much more ... The festival takes place in several cities in Slovakia. The festival is free, you can come and leave at any time. So don't hesitate and check out the upcoming program. There's a lot to look forward to!

Comedy COCO and TINA

Detective comedy Coco & Tina, September 18, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in Culture House Poprad.