Novi Pazar Museum

The School of Yore, Today a Museum 

The building where the Museum is located can be found at the very center of the Novi Pazar and represents one of the most significant public buildings in the town. Even though the exact year of this building’s construction is unknown, there is information indicating that during the mid-19th century this building was established first “ruždija” i.e. the first secular school. This building throughout history had multiple purposes, such as the first “ruždija”, which were obligatory according to the Law for General Education, and one of them was located in Novi Pazar. 

Was Hammam Previously Located on the Museum Site?

During Museum building conservation, it is discovered that the building is placed on the founding of the older object, hence, smaller research was conducted on the insides of the building, in front of the Museum, and on the west side of the building. Based on the research it could be concluded that at the place of today’s Museum building there was a construction whose proportions remained unknown as well as the purpose. However, it is discovered that this construction was used during the 14th and 15th centuries. Before today’s Museum building, during the 16th and 17th centuries, this place had located in a Hammam, the second out of two in Novi Pazar. Namely, according to the writings of Evli Chelebi, in Old Novi Pazar, there were two Hammams – the old and the new. The Old Hammam is located in Old Downtown, while the location of the new one was unknown until its founding under the museum building. The entire west Museum wall represents the remains of the Hammam wall. 

From the Bronze Age to the Barber 

The setting of the Museum includes a couple of departments including the Department for Archeology, the Historical Department, the Oenological Department, and the Department for the Applied Arts. The Museum is commonly a home for the exhibitions and setups of the artists. Some of the artifacts located in this Museum include the archeological exhibits which are part of long historical research. A good deal of the exhibits of this collection was found in Novi Pazar. Exhibits originate from the Pecina, Gradina, and Trgoviste localities, while some of them were bought or gifted. Perhaps, the setup of the most interesting exhibit is Ethnological. Among the exhibits, the most attractive ones are the tools of Novi Pazar’s barber Hadzi Ruso who at the same time was the dentist and local surgeon. Besides that, in the Museum could be found a whole array of the tools used by Novi Pazar’s craftsmen, and the most interesting ones are the products of tailors who made the parts of costumes for the poor and middle class. 

Did You Know? 

On the outside of the Museum wall, you can find a fountain (hajrat), with the quote: “This is a good deed (hajrat) of Sjenicak Sulejmanovic Dervis-beg. Written on the 1st Muharram 1309.”, (August 7, 1891).

How to get there

It is located in the city centre. The entrance is 3 euros.