Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana [Muzej za arhitekturo in oblikovanje, MAO]

Since its foundation in 1972, the Museum of Architecture and Design in Ljubljana has been collecting, studying, and exhibiting design creations alongside architectural works. As Slovenia’s first and only integrated design collection, it includes objects from the field of product design and visual communication. Many items were acquired through the International Biennial of Industrial Design (BIO), first held in 1964 and organized by the museum since 1972. The central focus of the industrial design collection is on everyday products manufactured by successful Slovenian companies, particularly those having a significant impact on design developments and modern industrial production in Slovenia during the second half of the twentieth century.
One notable example is the ETA 80 telephone, designed in 1979 by Davorin Savnik (1929–2014) for the Iskra company, which stands out for its innovative design and long-lasting market success. Over the last decade, the museum’s design collection has been complemented with contemporary works reflecting new areas of interest in design.