House at the Good Shepherd, Exhibition of Clocks

The exhibition documents the history of clockmaking in Bratislava from the end of the 17th century up to the end of the 19th century. The oldest written record of its existence comes from the 15th century and mentions the fixing of a tower clock. The first guild rules dated to 1546 were common for the guild of locksmiths, clock makers and gunsmiths. In the 2nd half of the 18th century the clock makers established their own guild. However, their specialisation divided them into two groups: makers of clocks and makers of watches. In the period of the 16th–19th centuries, 92 out of 186 clock makers working on the territory of Slovakia were located in Bratislava.

On the 1st floor, various types of wall and table clocks from the 17th and 18th centuries are on display. A more extensive collection is represented by the so-called city cabinet clocks typical for the Central European clockmaking.

On the 2nd floor, examples of clocks and watches from the last third of the 18th century are presented. In addition to folk wall clocks, the exhibition shows especially clocks made for nobility nad burghers. One of the most beautiful items is a big gilded fireplace clock (circa 1770–1780), signed by the well-known Bratislava clock maker Jacob Guldan. Interesting exhibits include small portable traveling clock (alarm clock) and a collection of watches of various forms and decorations.