Bratislava City Gallery (GMB)

Why visit

The Bratislava City Gallery (GMB) shows its collection and exhibitions in two Old Town palaces a few minutes apart, so historic interiors and contemporary art fit into one walk.

Mirbach Palace on Františkánske Square is a Rococo palace with Central European Baroque art. Pálffy Palace on Panská Street holds Gothic art, Celtic finds and Matej Krén’s Passage, alongside contemporary exhibitions.

What to see

• Matej Krén: Passage: an installation of thousands of books and mirrors that creates the illusion of endless space (Pálffy Palace).
• Biatec: Celtic Mint: archaeological finds from excavations at the palace, presented with interactive displays (Pálffy Palace).
• Gothic panel painting and sculpture: medieval art from the gallery’s collection (Pálffy Palace).
• Central European Baroque painting and sculpture: 18th-century art with a focus on Baroque Bratislava (Mirbach Palace).
• Graphics Cabinets: around 290 prints from the 17th and 18th centuries in rooms with Rococo stucco ceilings (Mirbach Palace).
• Café Emil: coffee, natural wine and snacks under the vaults and in the courtyard of Mirbach Palace.

Plan your visit

Admission is paid. Allow one to two hours for both palaces; temporary exhibitions change through the year.

The Main Square and the Franciscan Church are a couple of minutes’ walk away, and St Martin’s Cathedral about five.