The exhibition dedicated to Anton Tomaž Linhart (1756–1795) offers an interesting insight into the exciting period of the Enlightenment and the rebellious spirit of this famous Radovljica resident, who was born in the town during the period when it was part of the Habsburg monarchy.

The exhibition tells the story of Linhart’s life when he found himself moving from Radovljica to Ljubljana, to Vienna and then again back to Ljubljana. As a senior civil servant, he was credited with introducing higher education studies and the first public library in Ljubljana, and Linhart was also the initiator and founder of many primary schools.

He wrote his most famous works in the Slovenian language – the comedy Županova Micka (Micka – the Mayor’s Daughter) and Ta veseli dan ali Matiček se ženi (This Merry Day or Matiček’s Wedding). In 1789, with the production of the comedy Županova Micka in 1789, Linhart ‘gave birth’ to Slovenian theatre.

He also became famous for his book on the history of Slovenes – Poskus zgodovine Kranjske in drugih dežel južnih Slovanov Avstrije (An Attempt at the History of Carniola and Other Lands of the Southern Slavs of Austria) (1788, 1791). The extensive work is considered the beginning of Slovenian scientific historiography.