Activities in Museum of madness

The Museum of Madness is dedicated to the study, preservation and presentation of the history of Castle Cmurek by Trate, which is one of the oldest and largest castles in Slovenia.

The Museum is supported by the joint efforts of local residents from both the Slovenian and the Austrian sides of the Mura River, which together we view as a single heritage community.

Our areas of interest include the fields of paleontology, archaeology, history, architecture, visual arts, music, literature, culture, the natural environment and cross-border collaboration.

We have established a locally-based cross-border center open to the world. We are continuously developing a participatory museum that presents a problematic heritage.

We create spaces of memory and respect.

Projects

Go! Marko

Within the framework of European Capital of Culture 2025 in Nova Gorica & Gorizia, between June 8 and 13, 2025, the Museum of Madness took Marco Cavallo, the blue horse – a symbol of deinstitutionalisation – on a tour across Slovenia. The programme of the journey, titled Where Have We Come? We Have Come to You!, was dedicated to Franco Basaglia. Through theatre, film, and books, we raised awareness among the Slovenian public in Ljubljana, Maribor, Trate, and Nova Gorica, as well as among employees and residents of the institutions in Dutovlje and Hrastovec, about Basaglia’s psychiatric reforms and the urgent need for deinstitutionalisation.

More on the project

Radio play as a space for marginalised voices to be heard – Deconstructing madness through sound and art

This artistic research project examines the relationship between voice, memory, and the space of a former social welfare institution. The project aims to create a space for reflection on the past, the body, and society's attitude towards mental health.

More on the project

Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Cmurek Castle

This project highlights the forgotten historical layers of Cmurek Castle, an exceptional cultural monument

More on the project

Mandatory Path to Deinstitutionalization - Marco Cavallo

With this project, we are continuing the 2024 campaign Kakšna norišnica (What a Madhouse). Together with our Croatian partner Kultura nova, we will exchange good practices for working with different users in the field of human rights and community inclusion. We have chosen the sculpture of the blue horse Marco Cavallo as our symbol.

More on the project

See all projects

Publications

Monograph On Community and Deinstitutionalisation Beyond Gardens and Enclosures, 2022 , april 2022

Selected areas of activity

At the Museum of Madness, we are dedicated to the exploration of nature and cultural heritage. We strive for de-institutionalisation. We present our themes in exhibitions, especially through art and cultural events. We pay special attention to young people, and in cooperation with primary and secondary schools and faculties, we provide training on selected topics.

Contact the Museum of Madness if you are interested in any of the selected topics:

History of Cmurek Castle
History of life along the border
Life along the Mura river
History of Madness
Novi Kinek Manor or Kapralov Castle or Upper Castle at Trate
Hanson's or Petek's Mill
Sergei Kapralov, Russian doctor from Trate
Terezija Mostler, one of the first Slovenian women photographers
Archaeological site "Anziglperk"
Paleontology of the area

Study Circles of Slovenian Institute for Adult Education

With the support of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education, we run study circles aimed at research, education, cooperation and networking. Through various activities, we aim to bring selected topics closer to the community, thus contributing to greater solidarity, the strengthening of social networks and, in general, to a higher quality of life in rural areas.

Study Circles 2021/2022:

* Strengthening communities

* Madness and Creativity

* Living the cultural heritage of Cmurek

* Readings at the Museum of Madness

Collaborations

Expert support

Dr. Igor Sapač, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture University of Maribor
Dr. Vito Flaker, Dr. Darja Zaviršek, Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana
Dr. Rajko Muršič, Dr. Jože Hudales, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljanai
Dr. Andreja Rafaelič and Katarina Ficko, Social Protection Institute of the Republic of Slovenia,
Andreja Slameršek, The Slovenian Native Fish Society

Local organizations: