Geodesy is the science of measuring and describing the Earth and its surface on plans and maps. It is indispensable for technical work such as staking out buildings, route surveys in the location and construction of roads and railroads, urbanisation and spatial management, etc. Slovenia has been one of the few European countries with a dedicated museum presentation of geodesy since 1987; the Slovene Geodetic Collection has been on display for visitors of Bogenšperk Castle for more than three decades. In 2021, the collection was relocated, and in the design of the present exhibition, we partnered with the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia and the Association of Surveyors of Slovenia, with whom we installed the collection, and invited the Department of Geodetic Engineering at the Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana to participate in the project.

The result of this collaboration is an overview, intriguing and informative exhibition, Every Millimetre Counts, Geodesy in Slovenia through Time, which chronologically presents the milestones in the development of geodesy and explains concepts related to geodesy and cartography. It walks through the two-hundred-year history of the land cadastre in Slovenia and illustrates geodesy applications in practice. In our everyday lives, it is vital in construction, engineering, surveying, remote sensing, agriculture, research and study of cultural heritage, and, last but not least, in the military. This aspect is linked to the Park of Military History Pivka, the exhibition’s venue. In addition to panels and more than twenty geodetic instruments and other museum objects displayed in showcases, the exhibition also includes multimedia displays and a 3D interactive presentation of the contents. To bring geodesy and its professional terminology closer to the visitors, the exhibition’s authors have also created a glossary, which appeals to the younger audience with its exciting illustrations.

Photo gallery from the opening

On display from 18 May to 18 December 2022 at the Depots of National Museums in Pivka.

 Opening hours of the Depots of the national museums:

EVERY MILLIMETRE COUNTS: GEODESY IN SLOVENIA THROUGH TIME

Exhibition of the Technical Museum of Slovenia  the Depots of national museums in Pivka

18th May to 18th December 2022

Head of the working group for the renovation of the Slovene Geodetic Collection at the Association of Surveyors of Slovenia: mag. Janez Slak
Project management: mag. Martina Orehovec
Compiled and edited by: mag. Martina Orehovec, mag. Janez Slak
Texts by: mag. Janez Slak, dr. Dušan Kogoj, dr. Dušan Petrovič, Mateja Urbančič, Boštjan Pucelj, Tomaž Šuštar, mag. Martina Orehovec
Text revision: dr. Tomaž Ambrožič, dr. Dušan Kogoj
Slovene editing and English translation: Melita Silič
Exhibition and graphic design: Polona Zupančič, MI KA DO d.o.o.
Photos and visual material: Boštjan Pucelj; Geodetska uprava Republike Slovenije; Geodetski inštitut Slovenije; Ministrstvo za obrambo, Uprava za zaščito in reševanje; dr. Ivan Šprajc, dr. Žiga Kokalj, Inštitut za antropološke in prostorske študije, ZRC SAZU; dr. Borut Križ, Dolenjski muzej Novo mesto; Posavski muzej Brežice; mag. Janez Slak; dr. Dušan Kogoj, dr. Dušan Petrovič, dr. Dejan Grigillo, dr. Tilen Urbančič, Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo, Oddelek za geodezijo, Univerza v Ljubljani; Barbara Šket, dr. Klemen Kozmus Trajkovski; Veronika Grabrovec Horvat; Jakob Kovačič, Dokumentacija, Tehniški muzej Slovenij
Illustrations: Matjaž Dekleva
Audiovisual material: Geodetska uprava Republike Slovenije, Boštjan Burger
Audio material: Boštjan Pucelj, Stanislav Zdešar, Lambda
Interactive content: Grega Pesko, Digi data d.o.o.; Boštjan Burger
Surveying of coordinates: Tomaž Šuštar, LGB, d.o.o., Ljubljana
Accompanying programme: Ana Katrina Ziherl, Barbara Hrovatin
Public relations: mag. Urša Vodopivec
Exhibits: Slovenska geodetska zbirka, Tehniški muzej Slovenije, Geodetska uprava Republike Slovenije, UL FGG, Oddelek za geodezijo
Conservation-restoration and preparation of objects: Konservatorsko restavratorska služba TMS – Drago Štimec, Boštjan Troha, Darko Gostiša, Mojca Zver, Matej Žganjar, Nejc Stupan
Production of exhibition equipment and layout: Tehnična služba TMS – Andrej Petkovšek, Aleksander Šenekar, Matjaž Rot, Uroš Vrhovec, Božo Mole
Print: CC consulting center, d.o.o., Kranj
Technical Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana, 2022
Director: dr. Barbara Juršič
Copyright ©: Martina Orehovec, Janez Slak, Dušan Kogoj, Dušan Petrovič, Mateja Urbančič, Boštjan Pucelj, Tomaž Šuštar