Old Foundry Museum in Kragujevac | Museums of Serbia

Unique in Serbia and one of the few in Europe, the Old Foundry Museum in Kragujevac preserves records of the most significant dates in Serbian history.

The beginning of industrial production in Serbia and domestic military industry started in October 1853 when the first cannons were successfully cast in the Topolivnica foundry in Kragujevac.

The foundry was built according to all European principles of industrial architecture, reflecting its representativeness. It was placed under state protection in 1953 as a cultural heritage of great importance, and it ceased operations in 1968. Five years later, the factory museum was established, known today as the Old Foundry Museum.

This is the oldest preserved part of the military factory and the first Military-Crafts School in the Principality of Serbia. The building represents an important historical monument, illustrating the technical and technological development as well as the economic, cultural, educational, and social development of Kragujevac and Serbia as a whole.

The Old Foundry Museum has endured all the ravages of war and now preserves the memory of when the first steam engine arrived in Kragujevac. The authentic old hall of the Foundry houses tools, machinery, old photographs, and other archival materials. The permanent exhibition traces the history of the Kragujevac military factory from its establishment in 1853 to 1973, while also following the development of modern weaponry.

The exhibited items are categorized into seven collections, and the museum's collection consists of approximately 5,500 objects. The collections include Weapons and Equipment, Archival Materials, Machinery and Tools, Artworks, Photographs, Decorations, and Seals.

The museum's permanent exhibition also features numerous rarities:

• the original foundry where the cannons were cast;
• the first cannon from 1853;
• the "Kokinka" M.1880 Mauser rifle - Milovanović;
• Vasić M.1898 hand grenade;
• old rifles of foreign production, Mini-Frankot-Petrović system, M.1857, with the stamp of Mihailo Cvejić;
• flintlock rifle, "roga" system;
• an old photograph from 1889 showing electric lighting in an industrial hall;
• trophy weapons from the First and Second World Wars;
• civilian products of the factory;
• military equipment;
• programs of the Saddlery, Instrument Shop, etc.

The production facility of the military factory between the two world wars occupies a special place among the exhibited items, along with archival and photo materials and facsimiles of important documents. In addition to artillery weapons and tools, as well as sports and hunting weapon programs (semi-automatic and automatic pistols and revolvers, hunting rifles and carbines) after the Second World War, the collection also contains specimens of modern weapons.

The Old Foundry Museum has an exhibition hall, library, and seven depots. It was initially called the Red Star Institute Museum and received its current name in 1994.

If you happen to be in Kragujevac, we suggest visiting this building, which represents an authentic example of industrial architecture and the place where the first Serbian cannons were cast.

The Old Foundry Museum is open to visitors on weekdays from 8 am to 3 pm, and admission is free.