Mementos of Július Juraj Thurzo

Július Juraj Thurzo, born in Detva in 1882, became Slovakia's first sea captain. He graduated from the naval academy in Fiume, now Rijeka, in 1900. The offer of free tuition and the prospect of a profession that would enable him to help his family contributed to his choice of career.

After practical service on steamships and sailing ships, he qualified as a merchant navy officer. He received his deep-sea captain's diploma on 31 March 1906, following service aboard the sailing ship Ausilio and the required examinations. His life included long voyages, difficult working conditions and surviving a shipwreck. In 1923 he began work in Bratislava at the authority responsible for navigation on the Danube, becoming harbour master and later director.

The Thurzo material includes authentic objects from his estate, photographs and documents. These were assembled through years of cooperation between the museum, the captain's descendants and staff of Slovenská plavba a prístavy. An interactive ship's wheel complements the biographical display. Opened in 2015, the exhibition brings together his professional career, family life and relationships with those close to him.