The Pilon Gallery was established in 1973 from the art legacy of Veno Pilon (1896–1970), a famous painter and photographer. After his father’s death, his son donated all of his work to the town of Ajdovščina. The collection was later enriched with purchased items and donations. Among other things, the collection includes a rich archive fond: documents, manuscripts, correspondence, books and other private objects belonging to the deceased artist.
The Pilon Gallery also houses the collection of works of Pilon’s friends, and an international collection named the Vipava Cross. The exhibition programme includes paintings, drawings, graphics, architecture, photography and modelling. The Pilon Gallery is situated in two houses. The first is the Pillon homestead where the painter’s father used to have a baker’s shop. Both facades of the two houses are preserved, and so is the interior of the painter’s house. The permanent collection is housed on the first floor and the mansard. The architect responsible for reconstructing the two houses into a gallery was Svetozar Križaj (1921–1996) from Adjovščina; this project won him the Plečnik Award in 1976.