:''This article is about the Slovene publishing house founded in 1864. Matica slovenská is a cultural and scientific institution in Slovakia, founded in 1863.''
thumb|320px|right|The ''Slovenska matica'' building on the [[Congress Square in Ljubljana]]
'''Slovenska matica''' (), also known as '''Matica slovenska''', is the second-oldest publishing house in Slovenia, founded in the 19th century as an institution for the scholarly and cultural progress of Slovenes. The name can be literally translated into English as the "Slovene Queen Bee," which is a methaphor meaning "the parent body of the Slovenes." It should not be confused with ''Matica slovenská'', an analogous institution in Slovakia.

== History ==

The ''Slovenska matica'' was founded on the proposal of several Slovene patriotic associations and individuals from Slovene, foster the expansion of culture among Slovenes, and the development of scientific terminology in Slovene. In 1864, the consortium ''Slovenska matica'' was founded in Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I also gave a substantial financial contribution for its founding. 

The institution reached its peak at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, it functioned as a regular publishing house on a free market, publishing books for a general public, many of which became bestsellers; at the same time, it also performed the role of an Academy of Sciences, fostering high culture and maintaining close contacts with the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Belgrade, as well as similar institutions in Prague, Krakow, London and Sankt Peterburg. 

During Austro-Hungarian authorities. The alleged cause was the publication of the book ''Gospodin Franjo'' ("Mister Franjo") by the Slovene author and officer of the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

During the Italian occupation in World War Two, the leadership of the ''Slovenska matica'' collaborated with the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People. In 1944, it was shut down by the Nazi German authorities. In late 1945, the communist authorities of the People's Republic of Slovenia allowed the ''Matica'' to be re-established, although its editorial policies were considered "too conservative" by the new regime. Most of its properties were nationalized by the state, but the institution was allowed to continue functioning and later received substantial subsidies.

'''Slovenska matica''' je znanstvena in kulturna ustanova, ki prireja znanstvena srečanja in posvetovanja o najrazličnejših problemih slovenske kulture in družbe ter njene prihodnosti, in (druga najstarejša slovenska) založba, ki skrbi za izdajanje dobrih izvirnih del ter prevodov iz humanistike, naravoslovja in tehnike.

Leta 20. stoletja, ko so njene knjige izhajale v visokih nakladah in je vzdrževala stike z univerzami in akademijami od Londona do Peterburga. Med prvo svetovno vojno je zaradi izdaje knjige ''Bosni prišla v spor z oblastjo in zaplenili so ji premoženje. Med obema vojnama je delovala naprej in pomagala ustanoviti Slovensko akademijo znanosti in umetnosti. Leta drugi svetovni vojni se je s težavo postavila na noge, novim oblastem se je zdela preveč »konservativna«, premoženje je bilo nacionalizirano, vendar je nazadnje prevladalo uradno stališče, da jo je treba ne le ohraniti, temveč njeno delo celo subvencionirati.

== Seznam predsednikov ==
* 1865-1869 - Lovro Toman
* 1869-1875 - Etbin Henrik Costa
* 1875-1881 - Janez Bleiweis
* 1881-1882 - Josip Marn
* 1882-1885 - Peter Grasselli
* 1885-1886 - Josip Poklukar
* 1886-1893 - Josip Marn
* 1893-1907 - Fran Levec
* 1907-1914 - Fran Ilešič
* 1917 - Peter Grasselli
* 1918-1920 - Ivan Tavčar
* 1920-1947 - Dragotin Lončar
* 1947-1949 - Oton Župančič
* 1950-1966 - Anton Melik
* 1966-1975 - France Koblar
* 1975-1978 - Fran Zwitter
* 1978-1987 - Bogo Grafenauer
* 1987-1994 - Primož Simoniti
* 1994- Joža Mahnič