By Lana Katsaros, to Museum Spotlight Europe (April 2024)
Nestled atop a small Slovenian mountain, an unassuming glass cube elevator transports visitors up to the main entrance of Ljubljana Castle. This historic fortress is home to an utterly unique museum experience – the Museum of Puppetry. As soon as you step through the doors, you’re greeted by an unsettling sight: two decapitated puppet heads, mischievous yet creepy expressions frozen on their faces, partial spines gruesomely intact and suspended in vats of liquid. It’s an ominous welcome to this unconventional world of puppetry.
The decapitated heads are just a small sample of the weird and wonderful puppets contained inside the museum’s three levels of galleries. Dimly lit by dramatic spotlights against black backdrops, the displays seem to come alive in shadowy forms, their exaggerated features exuding personality. From traditional marionettes to a modern semi-deconstructed dragon-type fixture suspended above, each puppet reflects the distinctive artistic visions that gave them form.
Once inside the museum, you are greeted by an atmosphere buzzing with creativity. The permanent exhibition, aptly named Images of Slovenian Puppetry Art, 1910-1990, takes center stage. Here, visitors embark on a chronological journey through the evolution of Slovenian puppetry. Protected by glass, exhibits showcase the works of pioneering and modern artists alike.
Naturally, the first display features works of Milan Klemencic, the earliest known Slovenian puppeteer. His passion laid the groundwork for the country’s vibrant puppetry scene. Klemencic staged what is considered the first marionette performance in Slovenia in 1910, presenting the show in his own home. Needless to say, he was a pivotal figure in Slovenian puppetry. Though trained as a painter in Italy and Germany, his artistic passion blossomed in the world of marionettes. In 1910, he went on to establish Slovenia’s first marionette theater in his home, the Little Puppet Theater. Throughout his career, he crafted three distinct puppet companies, each with its own repertoire. Klemencic’s legacy now lives on at the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre Museum. His daughter donated his collection in 1990, which now forms a core part of the museum’s holdings. The “Milan Klemencic Collection” includes puppets, set designs, and documents spanning his creative periods, offering a glimpse into the life and work of this pioneering artist.
But the museum isn’t solely focused on marionettes. Slovenian puppetry encompasses a diverse range of techniques, and the exhibits reflect that beautifully. Visitors can discover the fascinating world of rod puppets, shadow puppets, and glove puppets, each with its unique charm and storytelling potential.
Klemencic was just one of Slovenia’s pioneering puppeteers whose works are featured. The museum’s vast collection contains over 6,000 artifacts from seminal artists like Dr. Niko Kuret and Joze Pengov.
Pengov’s impact is particularly noteworthy as the founding artistic director of the preeminent Ljubljana Puppet Theater company in 1948. A multi-talented director, playwright, actor and puppetry promoter, Pengov helped elevate the artform to new creative heights through inspired productions and cultivation of future generations of puppeteers.
Beyond the beautifully displayed puppets, the museum also delves into the history of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, the country’s premier puppetry institution. Founded in 1948, the theater has been instrumental in keeping the art form alive and well. The museum showcases the theater’s productions through posters, photographs, and even historical puppet shows performed live for visitors.
To reach the separate Ljubljana Puppet Theater building, one has to wander down an unassuming street in Slovenia’s capital city, and find a rather ordinary building facade hiding a world of whimsy. This isn’t just any old playhouse, mind you, but one of Europe’s most esteemed and longest-running puppet production companies, dating back over 70 years.
Step inside and prepare to be charmed by shelves overflowing with posters and photos of past productions. The real magic happens when the theater pulls back the curtain on live historical puppet shows. Watch in delight as these little bundles on string pirouette through the past, reminding everyone that even the simplest marionette can weave a spell that lasts for generations.
But the Ljubljana Puppet Theater magic isn’t strictly confined to the four walls of its inner sanctum. The company also oversees the wonderfully curated Puppet Path installation experience that begins in Krizanke Square where a puppet dotted pathway morphs into an open-air guide and roughly leads you back to the Puppet Museum of Ljubljana while keeping you fully entertained.
Back at the castle-top Museum of Puppetry, as you wander its modern yet moody exhibition paths, the rich evolution of Slovenian puppetry artistry unfolds before your eyes like a classic storybook splendidly coming to life. Clever multimedia displays breathe movement into treasured antique marionettes, while shadow puppets magically animate across screens inviting visitors to engage with the ancient silhouette tradition hands-on. Even the ambient theatrical lighting surrounding each vignette seems to subtly shift and synchronize with the tone and mood of the scenes playing out.
The museum may be compact, but it cleverly packs an immersive three-level journey calibrated to provide intimate perspectives on the puppetry pieces from every angle. On the ground floor, larger-than-life displays loom overhead, like the imposing dragon marionette specimen dangling from protective casework above. But ascend to the third level’s exhibits, and your eyes are met with a different experience – coming face-to-face and standing eye-level with that very same modern, wild-eyed dragon as it likely appeared on stage, looming just as intimidatingly as it must have over spellbound audiences.
This choreographed transition from obstructed observation to personal engagement is all part of the museum’s masterful design. Each turn reveals new interactive displays and powerful storytelling moments.
A personal favorite was a single puppet, alone under a spotlight. A tiny marvel, Speckles the Ball, captured hearts from the very first performance in 1948. This marionette creation by puppet artist Joze Pengov played a pivotal role in the premiere of The Strike Brigade, a play that continues to be a global favorite. Though deceptively simple, Speckles’ gleeful presence remains a highlight even today.
Beyond the whimsical charm, the museum unlocks an unexpected history – the rise of partisan puppetry during World War II. This wasn’t your average fairytale performance. Partisan puppet theater founder Lojze Lavric, with a mischievous appetite, saw the power of satire. His workshop churned out not just princesses and dragons, but a whole cast of unexpected heroes and villains. Imagine soldiers roaring with laughter as Lavric himself pulled the strings of a marionette Hitler; his exaggerated strut and bumbling orders served as a source of amusement and defiance. But Hitler wasn’t the only target. Lavric’s puppets skewered collaborators, fascist officials, and anyone who embodied the absurdity of war. These satirical puppet programs were more than just entertainment – they were a potent weapon – ridiculing the enemy and boosting morale for the resistance.
While the museum’s current exhibits showcase captivating pieces, a vast treasure trove of puppet artifacts remains hidden from public view. These pieces – the silent understudies of the collection – reside in the museum’s repositories. This doesn’t mean they’re forgotten, they are just receiving the required restoration before they take their turn on center stage again. The knowledge gained during exhibit setup has sparked a renewed focus on these unseen objects. With this newfound appreciation for their historical significance, museum staff are actively working on restoration and conservation efforts.
The Museum of Puppetry is more than just a collection of artifacts. Thanks to its creative partnership with the still-operating Ljubljana Puppet Theater, the museum offers an utterly unique experience by offering a chance to attend an actual historical puppet performance. Their website is home to an active calendar with performances suited for both children and adults alike.
For those inspired to take an enchanting quest to the Castle grounds, a visit to the Museum of Puppetry and the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre itself is an absolute must. From the first step onto the iconic glas-cable railway boasting breathtaking views of the city below to the dramatic displays nestled amidst moody shadowbox-like architecture, it’s very much worth the journey to Ljubljana to spend some time at the museum.
Cover photo by Lana Katsaros
