Culture and entertainment in Piešťany and its local areas
The town of Piešťany attracts hundreds of tourists every year who come here to relax and rest. Not only its location, pleasant climate and beautiful parks make the town attractive but also a rich, cultural and social life complements the character of the spa town. Significant town events of nationwide and international importance are held in Piešťany all year round. Music festivals, film shows and competitions of radio plays take place here. The choice of concerts and art exhibitions has become wider in recent years. Music and various genres of dance, street theatres, exhibitions, shows of folk crafts and culture bring life to terraces, music pavilions as well as to the pedestrian zone during the summer season. Besides cultural events in the town, it is also possible to visit various attractions and interesting places in its surroundings.
Cultural institutions and organisations in the town:
Balneologické múzeum, Piešťany
The Balneological Museum in Piešťany specialises in the history of spa and balneotherapy in Slovakia as well as in the history of the Piešťany region. A historical exposition in Villa Dr. Liska and Memorial Room of Poet Ivan Krasko is also a part of the Balneological Museum. Besides permanent expositions, it also organises a lot of exhibitions and undertakes publishing activities. In 2010 a new archaeological exhibition was opened in the main building of the museum.
National Cultural Centre - House of Art Piešťany
The House of Art is a place for concerts as well as various cultural and social activities such as theatre, film, TV shows, congresses, exhibitions, etc. Piešťany Rendezvous and Piešťany Festival are among the most significant events.
Kursalon – Spa hall
Its Grand Hall is decorated with four large-format reproductions of historical photographs from the collection of the Balneological Museum in Piešťany, created by the photographer Fedor Nemec. Kursalon also functions as the meeting place for the Piešťany Photo-Club, which, for several years, has organized the Park Photo Piešťany event. A part of the Kursalon space has also become the home of the Art Jazz Gallery, which was originally located on the pedestrian zone.
Town Library
Besides providing essential library, information and lending services it also serves as a community centre. It organises a number of cultural and educational events of regional, national and international importance (discussions, lectures, seminars, exhibitions, workshops, theatrical performances…). It is known due to its projects which support children’s and youth’s readings as well as lifelong education. Among the most important projects of the Town Library are the “Zázračný oriešok” (“Miraculous Nut”), The Book in Radio – the Radio in Book, Touring Library, and Piešťany in Motion.
Piešťany Information Centre
A subsidiary of the Town Library which provides inhabitants and visitors of the town with a great variety of information services as well as the opportunity of cultural experiences in the form of various events such as discussions with travellers, book presentations, exhibitions, etc.
Town Cultural Centre
This is a cultural institution whose aim is to organise cultural and educational activities for people of all ages. The Opening of the Summer Spa Season, Feast of Piešťany and Christmas in Piešťany, etc., are among the most significant events.
Cultural and Community Centre Fontána
Besides a multipurpose cinema hall, there is also an exhibition hall where regular exhibitions of Slovak and foreign artists take place. One of its most important projects is the Statues of Piešťany’s Parks.
Social Centre on the Spa Island
It organises attractive programmes for the spa guests such as concerts of classical music, operas, operettas, musicals, performances of Slovak and foreign music and dance groups, jazz concerts, dance programmes, chess meetings, etc. Some performances of Piešťany Music Festival as well as concerts of various music bands take place in Harmony Music Pavilion near little ponds on the Spa Island.
International Jazz Piešťany, non-profit organization
This non-profit organization, which was established in 2007, regularly organizes, within the premises of the Art Jazz Gallery Kursalon, numerous concerts of accomplished jazz musicians from Slovakia and around the world. The Jazz Club, established by Dodo Šošoka, and originally situated on Winter Street, found a new home in Kursalon. International Jazz Piešťany is the organizer of the Dodo Šošoka International Jazz Festival, which was started by the legendary drummer and percussionist Dodo Šošoka and has since become a Piešťany tradition.
Gallery Reflexy
Slovak Agency for the Support of Disabled Citizens of the Slovak Republic. Artistic workshop for the civic non-profit association of the Slovak Agency for the Support of Disabled Citizens of the Slovak Republic.
Agency MMI Ltd.
Organizes significant, all-Slovakia cultural and sport events such as Truck Arena and others.
Agency Duna Ltd.
Artistic and advertising agency organizing various cultural and social events such as the festivals Topfest, Červeník, Topfest Tour and Lodenica.
Military Historical Museum
The museum is situated on the premises of the former military airport in Piešťany. The exposition consists of more than a hundred pieces of heavy and light artillery, airplanes and helicopters from the armaments of the Czechoslovak army from 1945 to 1992.
Private Ethnographic Museum - Behind the Gate in Krakovany
The exposition of the museum documents not only the life of the inhabitants of Krakovany but also of neighbouring villages. In the exposition of agriculture, there are instruments and working tools which were used in soil cultivation, food processing and various agricultural and domestic duties.
Classic Car Museum
A permanent exhibition of vintage cars. It is possible to rent a car or take a scenic drive around the local area.
Mathias’ Kingdom of Miniatures
A park with models of period reconstructions of Slovak castles and historical buildings on a scale of 1:50. You can view 27 models of castles and wooden churches in its area.