In the 19th-century dairy building adjacent to the Snežnik Castle, resides the rather esoteric The dormouse or loir (polh) is a favourite food in Notranjska and the hunting and eating of it is tied up with a lot of tradition, which the museum explores. The fur is used to make the polhovka, the distinctive fur cap worn by Božiček, Slovenia's version of Santa Claus, and dormouse mast (fat) is a much-prized machine oil.
According to popular belief, the dormouse is shepherded by Lucifer himself and thus deserves its fate in the cooking pot.The hunting part of the museum is a nightmare of stuffed animals, antlers and other 'trophies' from the Snežnik-Javornik Massif and Cerknica Lake areas.The big occasion in these parts of Notranjska is Dormouse Night (Polharska Noč) when it's open season for trapping the incredible edible polh. It's held on the first Saturday after 25 September.
