Valvasor Award
Named after Janez Vajkard Valvasor (1641–1693), the Slovene polymath of the 17th century, who dedicated his life to science and collecting, the Valvasor Award is given for lifetime achievement in the museum field and for outstanding contributions to the conservation, presentation, and popularisation of movable natural and cultural heritage in Slovenia and abroad.
In addition, the Slovene Museum Society bestows Valvasor Recognitions for important achievements in the field of museology in the previous year, while the Valvasor Honorary Recognition is awarded to special merit in popularising museology and movable cultural heritage and for significant grants of sponsors to museums and galleries.
Following a call for the Valvasor Award and Recognition nominees, the commission makes the selection of winners based on activities of the preceding calendar year. By rule, the awards are given on the eve of International Museum Day (18 May). The ceremony is occasionally accompanied by a cultural programme in one of the museums in Ljubljana.
Previous winners
In the last two decades, the lifetime achievement awards have gone to individual curators and museum workers such as Andrej Dular of the Bela krajina Museum and Slovene Ethnographic Museum in 2018, Darja Pirkmajer of Celje Regional Museum in 2016, Anja Dular in 2014, Andrej Medved in 2013, Lilijana Nedič in 2012, Timotej Knific in 2011, Breda Ilich Klančnik in 2009, Meta Gabršek Prosenc in 2008, Irena Šavel in 2007, Jasna Horvat in 2006, Lidija Tavčar in 2005, Maja Žvanut in 2004, Kemal Selmanović in 2002 and Tone Kregar in 2000.
Winners of single achievement awards and recognitions are announced in the annual booklet that accompanies the awards ceremony. Archives of these booklets are available at the website of the Association of Slovene Museums (see link below).