Bitter steel, faithful guns

The exhibition features weapons from the depots of the Museum of Dolenjska, dating from prehistoric times to the 21st century. 48 pieces of cold steel arms, firearms and military protective equipment are on display. Artefacts are presented in sets and chronological order. The oldest artefacts that were obtained through archaeological excavation include an axe, a spear-head, a sword, and parts of a shield and helmet. This is followed by cold steel arms from different periods: a two-handed sword, a halberd, a mace, sabres and bayonets. The firearms are divided into rifles, starting with the arquebus and ending with the assault rifle. The oldest pistol on display is a flintlock, while the youngest is the first production pistol manufactured in Slovenia. The largest exhibits include heavy machine guns and anti-tank weapons. Protective equipment consists of helmets from different periods, a bulletproof vest, a cuirass and a miniature of a full suit of armour.
Visitors can learn more about the origin, manufacture, technical characteristics and operation of the weapons on exhibition boards and videos. Several replicas of various cold steel arms, firearms and protective equipment are available at the exhibition, for visitors to touch and get acquainted with. With the help of didactic games, they can more easily understand the development of weapons and test the accuracy of their shooting.
A special feature of the exhibition is the possibility for visitors to test themselves in a virtual reality environment in the role of a knight, handling different weapons, and fighting opponents.