Bački Petrovac: Crafts, Museum and Folklore

Bački Petrovac can be explored through several cultural avenues: a museum with an ethnographic collection, historical landmarks, and offerings related to crafts and traditional foods. These topics differ considerably when planning a trip. Some focus on objects and cultural traditions, while others involve making things yourself or enjoying traditional dishes. You can choose what to focus on depending on whether you are more interested in collections, hands-on activities, cuisine or folklore.

Museum and historical landmarks

The “Narodni muzej Bački Petrovac” has been in existence since August 1949. Its ethnographic collection includes numerous objects from material and spiritual folk culture, particularly old objects and traditional costumes. The two terms offer different perspectives: material folk culture concerns tangible things, while spiritual folk culture concerns traditions passed down beyond individual objects. The collection’s scope therefore extends beyond a single group of objects, linking tangible evidence with broader cultural traditions.

Historical landmarks include the “Najstarija kuća,” a cultural monument of exceptional importance that has been protected since 1965. The “Mnjač” represents another form of cultural heritage: this hemp-processing mechanism dates from 1862/63 and is the only surviving example of its kind in Vojvodina and beyond. The dates refer to different things: 1862/63 dates the mechanism, 1965 marks the start of protection for the Najstarija kuća, and August 1949 marks the museum’s establishment. This makes it possible to distinguish the object, its protection status and the institution chronologically.

Crafts and traditional foods

At the “Škola starých remesiel,” visitors learn to make brooms, clay objects and dolls from corn leaves. They can take their own creations home as souvenirs. The offering combines different materials and craft activities with a handmade result. This distinguishes it from the museum and monuments: here, the focus is on the making itself, rather than on a collection or a protected building. Those who like to take an active part in cultural activities will find a clearly defined hands-on option.

Visitors can watch traditional dishes such as svadobna kapusta, rejteš and svadobni koláč being prepared, and then sample them. Unlike the craft school, the focus here is not on making something yourself, but on the dishes and how they are prepared. Watching and tasting connect the preparation process with the finished dish.

Folklore and trip planning

The “Slovačke Narodne Svečanosti” is a showcase of Slovak folklore accompanied by cultural and entertainment programs. It was first held in 1919. The first year of the event indicates its origins; for a particular trip, the specific date is also important. If you would like to include an edition in your plans, check the event dates in advance.

The offerings differ mainly in the kind of participation they involve: crafts invite you to make things yourself, the culinary offerings combine watching and tasting, and the event date matters for the “Slovačke Narodne Svečanosti.”

Discover more destinations: Bač, Bečej, Gložan, Petrovaradin, Futog, Temerin, Kovilj, Kovacica

For the overview of the wider region: Juzna-Backa.