The Institute of Musicology of the SAS performs basic research of music and music culture in Slovakia in regional, national, Central European and European contexts. Our research conception derives from the integrated model of musicology, based on the pursuing of and collaboration between the three core disciplines: historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and systematic musicology.

There are three departments of the Research section performing the research activities. Department of Music History focuses on reconstructing music history and music culture in Slovakia within European context. Department of Ethnomusicology researches traditional songs, musical instruments, instrumental music and dance in Slovakia in  regional, interethnic and socio-cultural contexts. Department of Systematic Musicology performs music and music-cultural research, focusing on the the theoretic-systematical aspects. Collection funds including manuscripts, sound, visual and audo-visual documents have been built up from research activities of two departments (Department of Ethnomusicology, Department of Music History). Academic library and Technical laboratory are also a part of the Institute.

The Institute orients the results of its research into the context of international knowledge and in its applied forms into its uses in musical life, artistic and cultural practice and education process. We collaborate with academic and expert institutions and universities in Slovakia and abroad and offer expertise and consultant services.

As an external educational organization we offer PhD. courses in collaboration with the Department of Musicology of the Faculty of Philosophy, Comenius University Bratislava.

The Institute of Musicology, SAS publishes the journal Musicologica Slovaca. It is the seat of the national RILM (Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale) committee and of the Slovak musicological society, as well as a collective member of the following international organizations: International Musicological Society (IMS),  International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM), and International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML).