Museums, Sarajevo

The Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik was founded in 1945. The building now occupied by the Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik was originally conceived and built (1935 – ­1939) as the showcase residential mansion of Dubrovnik ship owner Božo Banac, and in 1948 it was converted into exhibition premises and museum. It was designed by the well­known Croatian architects Lavoslav Horvat and Harold Bilinić in the neo­Renaissance­cum­Gothic style, along the lines of masterpieces of Dubrovnik urban and villa Renaissance architecture (the Rector’s Palace, the Divona/Sponza, the Sorkočević Villa and so on). Through the conversion works, nine exhibition rooms were created, along with two storerooms and some smaller working areas. Together with the large terraces looking on to the sea and its garden, the Museum has 900 square metres of indoor and over 1100 square metres of outdoor exhibition space. https://www.godubrovnik.guide/dubrovnikthingstodo/museum-modern-art/

In 1872, the Patriotic Museum was founded in Dubrovnik; in the middle of 1873, the first museum display was made in the commune building. Among the exhibits, which were mainly from the period of the Dubrovnik Republic, the archaeological objects nevertheless stood out, for example, an Egyptian mummy, Greek vases and ancient amphorae. The donors were collectors, leading members of patrician families, sailors and Dubrovnik people living elsewhere. Foremost among them were the great benefactors and donors the Amerling brothers, who had been passionate advocates of the museum’s founding; they gave most of the Egyptian, Oriental and Japanese objects, birds, minerals and rarities of all kinds. In 1882, Arthur Evans, world-renowned archaeologist and initiator of archaeological research in the Dubrovnik area, gifted to the museum three Roman funerary inscriptions from Cavtat, the first entries into the book of donated and purchased objects. At the time the science of archaeology was being founded in Croatia in the early 20th century, lovers of antiquities gathered around the Dubrovnik branch of the Croatian Antiquarian Society in Knin and the Braće Hrvatskog Zmaja started to investigate the ruined Church of St Stephen, and after that it served as a temporary lapidarium for pre-Romanesque sculpture. https://www.godubrovnik.guide/dubrovnikthingstodo/archaeological-museum/

The Old Synagogue in Dubrovnik, Croatia is the oldest Sefardic synagogue still in use today in the world and the second oldest synagogue in Europe. It is said to have been established in 1352 but gained legal status in the city in 1408. Owned by the local Jewish community, the main floor still functions as a place of worship for Holy days and special occasions, but is now mainly a city museum which hosts numerous Jewish ritual items and centuries­old artefacts. Located in one of the many tiny streets of the Old Town of Dubrovnik, it is connected to a neighbouring building which has long been owned by the Tolentino family, who have been caretakers of the synagogue for centuries.[2] The internal layout is different from other European synagogues and has gone numerous refurbishments throughout the centuries, and has a mixture of designs from different eras. The building has sustained damage several times, with the great earthquake in 1667, World War II, and the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990s. The damage has since been repaired as closely as possible to its original design, and the synagogue reopened in 1997. The small museum contains many artifacts from throughout the Jewish community’s history in the city. https://www.godubrovnik.guide/dubrovnikthingstodo/jewish-synagogue/

The origins of the Museum go back to 1872, when the Patriotic Museum was founded, for in its holdings it had a smallish collection of artworks of a cultural history character. More systematic collection of material began after World War II, thanks to the urging of the curator and first manager of the cultural history department, Dr Božo Glavić, to whom goes the credit for moving the collection into the Rector’s Palace and setting up the first in situ display, opened to the public in 1950. During the course of time, the collection turned into first a distinct department of the Dubrovnik Museum, and then into the Cultural History Museum, a component of Dubrovnik Museums. The holdings of the museum consist of material of distinctly cultural, historical and artistic value, with about ten thousand objects created over a time span from the end of the 15th to the beginning of the 20th century. It has been systematised into fifteen collections featuring painting, printmaking, furniture, textiles, ceramics, metals, icons, glass, photographs and photographic materials, miscellanea, documents, postcards, the writer Ivo Vojnović, old weaponry and numismatics. https://www.godubrovnik.guide/dubrovnikthingstodo/cultural-history-museum/

The Rector’s Palace (Croatian: Knežev dvor) is a palace in the city of Dubrovnik that used to serve as the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa between the 14th century and 1808. It was also the seat of the Minor Council and the state administration. Furthermore, it housed an armoury, the powder magazine, the watch house and a prison. The rector’s palace was built in the Gothic style, but it also has Renaissance and Baroque elements, harmoniously combining these elements. Originally it was a site of a defence building in the early Middle Ages. It was destroyed by a fire in 1435 and the town decided to build a new palace. The job was offered to the master-builder Onofrio della Cava of Naples, who had previously built the aqueduct. It became a Gothic building with ornaments sculpted by Pietro di Martino of Milan. A gunpowder explosion badly damaged the building in 1463. The renewal was offered to the architect Michelozzo of Florence. But he was rejected in 1464 because his plans went too much in the style of the Renaissance. Other builders continued the work. The capitals of the porch were reshaped in Renaissance style probably by Salvi di Michele of Florence. He continued the reconstruction from 1467 on. The building suffered damages from the earthquake of 1520 and again in 1667. Reconstruction was in Baroque style. A flight of stairs and a bell were added in the atrium. In 1638 the Senate erected a monument to Miho Pracat (by Pietro Giacometti of Recanati), a rich shipowner from Lopud, who had bequeathed his wealth to Dubrovnik. https://www.godubrovnik.guide/dubrovnikthingstodo/rectors-palace/

The Maritime Museum was founded in 1949 at the initiative of the Yugoslav (today the Croatian) Academy of Sciences and Arts; since 1987 it was been a part of the Dubrovnik Museums. The main part of the holdings arose from numerous donations of Dubrovnik citizens to the Patriotic Museum in the first half of the 20th century and objects from the exhibition Dubrovnik Seafaring through the Ages, which was put on in 1941. Since 1952, the museum has been located on the first and second floors of Fort St John (sv. Ivan). In the past the fort guarded the entrance into the city port, and was one of the most important points of the city's defences. The construction works started in 1346, today's appearance being completed at the end of the 16th century. In the 19th century it was rebuilt into two floors, and at the places where there had been artillery embrasures, windows were installed. The museum systematically collects, studies, exhibits and publishes the museum material from the maritime past of the Dubrovnik region, all the way since Antiquity. Today it has holdings of over five thousand objects classified into fifteen collections. http://www.tzdubrovnik.hr/lang/en/get/muzeji/5591/maritime_museum.html

The Ethnographic Museum has its origins in the collection of traditional culture that began to be formed in the first decades of the twentieth century. Its holdings were very much enlarged with specimens of traditional attire and lace donated several times by that great benefactor of the museum, Jelka Miš (1875 -1956). In the course of time, the collection grew into the ethnological department of Dubrovnik Museum, and in 1950 opened its first display of original ethnographic folk handicrafts from the local area on the second floor of Fort St John. At the end of the eighties, the ethnographic department was relocated to the building of the Dubrovnik Republic’s granary, popularly known as Rupe/The Holes, which derives from the name for the underground grain storage areas carved out of bedrock or tufa. https://www.godubrovnik.guide/dubrovnikthingstodo/ethnographic-museum/

Bishop’s Treasury Museum is located in Bishops Palace in an elegant two-storey palace on Sveti Marko Square in Korcula Old Town. The museum is also called Abbey Treasury of St Mark (Opatska Riznica Svetog Marka). The ground floor covers parish office, library, archives and Kitchen exhibition hall. On the first floor, there are exhibits of Treasury hall, while the top floor covers residence of the parish priest. The museum exhibits numerous works of art including some paintings by Blaz Jurjev and Tiepolo. There are also old manuscripts with illuminated codex from the 12th century, alabaster sculptures from the 15th century as well as a statue of Mary Stuart from the 17th century. This is an interesting museum collection worth to visit if you are in Korcula. https://www.korculainfo.com/bishops-treasury/

Korcula Town Museum (Gradski muzej Korcula) is located at St Mark’s Square facing Cathedral Sveti Marko. The Museum is housed in Gabrielis palace that was built in 15th and 16th century. It is 3 storey building with basement and attic. Museum has various collections covering Korcula’s history and culture from Ancient history to nowadays. https://www.korculainfo.com/museums/korcula-museum/

Prehistoric town walls, numerous archaeological finds, several sarcophagi, reliefs and medieval graves are an evidence of the long history of the place and the lives of its people. Where there once stood Illyrian town walls from 1400 BC, later was a Roman mausoleum, then a Radojković Tower built for defensive purposes and today it is a museum of the island of Brač. The museum displays interesting exhibits from Kopačina cave, Roman tomb-stones, sea charts and diverse folk handicrafts from the entire island. This jewel of historical and cultural heritage has always been a very popular tourist destination. The long history and culture of the island of Brač is best seen in Škrip – the oldest settlement on the island. https://www.visitbrac.com/tours/the-museum-of-the-island-of-brac/BR-TR-146

The museum of oil presents the traditional process of olive oil production on the island Brac. The museum of oil exhibit olive mill, olive press, spindle for tightening press screw, bags, fireplace for heating the water and all traditional tools for transport, production and storage of olive oil. The museum of olive oil also shows paintings by academic painter Hana-Marta Jurčević Bulić and sculptures made by mag. sculptor Đani Martinić, presenting workers in the oilery in an interesting way. In 1864 Josip Krstulovć family founded the oilery in a small town of Skrip on the island Brac. By the early 20th century Kruno and Mandica Krstulović have upgraded the oilery by buying the new ''Thomas Holt'' olive press from Trieste. The family continued to process the olive oil until 1963 when the oilery stopped working due to the introduction of new technologies (hydraulic press). In 2013 Kruno Cukrov (grandson of Kruno Krstulović) and his family took the challenge of restoring the old oilery and by July 2013 the oilery become Museum of olive oil in Skrip and it is open for public as a historical and cultural monument of the history of making olive oil on the island Brac. https://www.visitbrac.com/tours/olive-oil-museum-in-skrip/BR-TR-147

The Museum was opened in 1972 and preserves numerous fishing equipment and accessories. Amongst many interesting exhibits, there is an appliance called svićalo which was used to light pinewood splinter and whose light attracted fish. There are also petroleum lanterns that were immersed under seawater, old rudders, fish-hooks, but also cooper's tools. The Museum preserves a collection of treated crabs, fish and shells of the Adriatic seabed and amphora from the Roman period. https://www.visit-hvar.com/tours/fishing-museum-vrboska/HV-TR-36

Gallery featuring contemporary sculpture, paintings & other works of the namesake artist. Vasko Lipovac was a Croatian painter, sculptor, printmaker, designer, illustrator and scenographer and one of the most prominent artists of the region. He is best known for his minimalist figuration and use of intense, unmodulated and often dissonant palette. With the exception of his juvenile period of geometric abstraction, he remained loyal to figuration throughout his whole career. Exceptionally prolific, he worked in various techniques and was equally skilful in using high-polished metal, polychromous wood, enamel, terracotta or polyester to create his sculptures, reliefs and mobiles. http://www.vaskolipovac.com/

Enter the fascinating world of illusions that will trick your reliance on your senses, but also amaze you at the same time; the world that will confuse you completely, but also educate you… Visit us and you will be thrilled because nothing is what it seems, especially not in HERE! Are you ready for even a bigger, better, and more fascinating adventure? Visit the Museum of Illusions in Split; we offer you an intriguing visual, sensory and educational experience with a handful of new, unexplored illusions. The Museum of Illusions in Split provides you with a space suitable both for social and entertaining tours through the world of illusions, prone to delight all generations. It’s a perfect place to gain new experiences and have fun with friends and family. Not only is it a place for children who love paying it a visit, but it is also a place for parents, grandparents and couples. https://split.muzejiluzija.com/en/

Split Get The Museum of Game Of Thrones "Excuse yourself in the impressive interior: 'This is a series of prints, it's ice-cold, you feel smudged and smells the same' In Bosanska Street, one of the town's vineyards. Just next to the street where some of the serial scene scenes were recorded. Not far from Diocletian's basements, where Khaleesi put the dragons in captivity. One of the dragons at the entrance is the visitors of this interesting Split's tourist acquisition. His head had pierced the wall, fluttered the enormous ears, and with his sharp canine, he slid his slit, spread his eyes. And he's in real-life, so scary that little children and those weaker nerves could even upset... https://game-of-thrones-exhibition-museum-split.business.site/website/game-of-thrones-exhibition-museum-split/

As the oldest museum institution in Croatia, the Split Archaeological Museum was founded in 1820 by the decree of the Dalmatian government in Zadar. The incentive for the establishment of the Museum was provided by the visit of Emperor Francis I to Dalmatia in 1818, which also included visits to Split and Solin. The original museum building was erected in 1821 next to the eastern walls of Diocletian's Palace but soon became too small to house the growing number of monuments. A new era in the development of archaeology in Croatia is associated with the work and activity of Father Frano Bulic, director of the Split Museum since 1884. Father Frano Bulic (Vranjic, 1846 - Zagreb, 1934), a catholic priest, archaeologist, historian, and conservator, had for more than 50 years been working as a field researcher, conservator and writer. He is known as the founder of the Croatian archaeological society "Bihac" that was established in Split in 1894. https://www.mdc.hr/split-arheoloski/eng/index.html

In the 19th century during the period of sailboats Stari Grad marked the development of the shipping industry and naval construction. There is a rich naval collection preserved in Palace Biankini in Stari Grad. The collection was founded by the Centre for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of the island of Hvar in 1966 and besides documentation on naval construction; it also displays various nautical instruments, paintings of Hvar captains, old nautical charts and literature on navigation. https://www.visit-hvar.com/tours/palace-biankini-and-naval-collection/HV-TR-38

An easy stroll from Hvar's square, along the sea and the waterfront soon brings you to the Franciscan monastery. Within the peace and quiet of the monastery walls, you can enjoy a rich display of museum exhibits (collections of Greek, Roman and Venetian coins, liturgical items, atlas of the ancient cartographer Ptolemaeus, rare exhibits of amphora, etc.), as well as paintings of Venetian artists like Francesco Santacroce and Palma Junior. The monastery is known for its magnificent painting of the Last Supper (2 x 8 m) which leaves everyone breathless. Some critics believe it is the work of a painter from Ravenna Matteo Ingoli, whilst others think that the painting belongs to the school of Palma Junior. One more rarity that makes the monastery famous is the 300-year old cypress that is located in the garden of the monastery. https://www.visit-hvar.com/tours/franciscan-monastery-hvar/HV-TR-28

The Trogir Museum was opened in 1966 within a unique complex of several palaces and houses owned by the Garagnin-Fonfogna family since the 18th century. The first small room accommodates a late Greek relief "Woman at Work" (2nd- 1 st century BC), and the replica of Kairos (4th-3rd century BC), as well as the prehistorical finds from the Trogir surroundings and the fragments of ceramics and glass from the Greek period. The Roman period is represented by the finds from the graves (fragments of a helmet, money, amphoras, urns) and stone reliefs and fragments discovered during archaeological excavations near Trogir. The second, large hall with a three-light window presents the medieval Trogir through the documentation on the development of the autonomous commune. The first printed city Statute from 1708, which actually governed the city public life already in the 14th century, and the city seal rings are on display in this hall. The original minutes of the City Council sessions from 1316 are displayed, along with major documents on parchment, and the Venetian money used in the provinces of Dalmatia and Albania. Ivan Lucic's "De Regno Dalmatiae et Croatiae", the major medieval Croatian work published in Amsterdam in 1666 is here, along with the matricula of the All Saints brotherhood from 1573, and the testimony on Venetian-Turkish war contained in the memoirs of Koriolan Cipiko (1477). http://www.portal-trogir.com/things-to-do-en/heritage/museums/trogir-town-museum/

The Secessionist building at No. 42, built in the 1920s as a bank, was converted several years ago into the Zepter Museum, a vault of 20th-century and contemporary art. http://www.serbia.com/36-hours-belgrade/

The Museum of St. Francis is a museum in the monastery of St. Francis in Šibenik, monks of Franciscan Conventuals, who prove their presence for several centuries in the city of Šibenik through a rich collection of valuable works of art. This modern interactive show is of educational and informative nature, and visitors are guided through the contents of the monastery library, one of the five most valuable heritage libraries in Croatia. It keeps a large number of incunabula and codices, parchments and other valuable and rare books, among which the „Šibenik prayer“, one of the oldest Croatian language and literary tributes were written in Latin script around 1375. https://www.sibenik-tourism.hr/lokacije/the-museum-of-st-francis/25/en.html

The Sibenik City Museum was founded in 1925 and is located in the immediate vicinity of the Cathedral, in the former Prince's Palace. Between it and the Bishop's Palace, the Renaissance one can find the preserved city gate from the 16th century. Along the center of the ground floor in the southern wing of the Prince's Palace is a gothic passage with the city gate on which the city coat of arms can be found with an image of its patron, St. Michael. The Sibenik City Museum consists of archaeological, cultural-historical and ethnographic departments. Its duties consist of collecting, taking care of, elaborating and presenting the cultural-historical heritage of the Šibenik region. Its collections consist of a number of valuable items significant for the study of Šibenik history, from the oldest times until present days. https://www.sibenik-tourism.hr/lokacije/the-sibenik-city-museum/24/en.html

The Museum of ancient glass in Zadar has a souvenir shop with a very rich offer in which one can buy publications and especially souvenirs like replicas of ancient glass made in glassmaking museum workshops with the method of hand blowing. The Museum of Ancient Glass is a contemporary and unique cultural institution in the world, and it has a specialized archaeological collection of more than 5.000 glass objects from the period of Antiquity from the first century B.C. do the 5th century A.D. in its possession. It has a permanent display and an attractive glassmaking workshop in which by manual blowing technique replicas of ancient glass are made. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/museum-of-ancient-glass

The Museum of Illusions in Zadar possesses a kaleidoscope, the illusion of the chair, optical illusions, holograms, the illusion of the dented face, the table of clones, tricky rings, head on the table, gramophones, the whole with no end, room of mirrors and other visual illusions. In Zadar's Museum of Illusions, nothing is as it seems to be. In the crooked room it defies gravity, while in the room of mirrors you are being narrowed and widened. Holograms, optical illusions, kaleidoscope, dented faces, table of clones and other illusions, are part of that tricky word. Climbing the ceiling is part of the museum's attractions. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/museum-of-illusions

Everything that ever mattered in Zadar, since the medieval period, happened or was heard of on the People's Square. It is the centre of urban life, a source that sucks you in with its energy and beauty, and then leaves the people passing-by to some of the other urban sensations. The People's Square in Zadar is the medieval Platea Magna, the centre of life and nowadays centre of town administration together with the City Loggia. From the People's square all the ways lead in all directions; to the Kalelarga, the Waterfront, the Five Wells Square or to the market and fish market. In The City Loggia on People's Square, that was built already in the 13th century, Zadar inhabitants have been gathering and have been discussing the most important city matters, while on the other side can be found the City Guard from the second half of the 16th century with a watch on a tower that has been in function incessantly since 1803. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/peoples-square

Zadar City Museum was founded in 1960 and in 1962 it was integrated into the National Museum Zadar under the name the Cultural-Historical Department. Zadar City Museum is located in the building which up to the time of Napoleon was the monastery of St. Krševan. http://nmz.hr/en

On the glass face of the Archeological Museum in Zadar, you can see the reflection of the Forum and Saint Donatus, with which the Museum is unbreakably connected. Since 1880 works of protection and restoration have been done in Saint-Donat with the idea to place the Archeological Museum in it. The Archeological Museum is the oldest museum in Zadar and the second oldest in Croatia. It was founded in 1832., and today it keeps more than 100.000 archaeological objects from all the cultural and historical periods from the Paleolithic to the end of 11th century. The museum has its journal and for almost 60 years in a preparatory workshop, it has been producing hand-made souvenirs- amphoras, recipients, fibulas (brooches), jewellery and other valuable museum material. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/archeological-museum

In the near future, the International Centre for Underwater Archeology Zadar will have a Museum of underwater archaeology that will be collecting, preserving, keeping, elaborating and exposing this attractive museum material. The International Centre for Underwater Archeology in Zadar has the status of a UNESCO centre of the second category, with the prospect of preservation and promotion of the underwater cultural heritage of Croatia, the Mediterranean and Europe. The centre has several departments – like the departments for education, conservation, restoration, presentation, underwater heritage and other- that are located at the spot of the former convent of Saint Nicholas where the remains of the medieval church of the same name can be found. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/the-international-centre-for-underwater-archeology

In a very modern, architecturally-designed building (which opened in 2009), the Museum of Contemporary Art is home to both its permanent Collection in Motion exhibit and a great selection of temporary exhibits throughout the year http://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/index.php/croatia-destinations/zagreb/museums-zagreb/

Mushroom Museum has up to 1250 species of real mushrooms from around the world. Including dozens of newly discovered species. As a matter of fact, the mushrooms are freeze-dried. Which means they are alive, in their original form, size and colour. Making the Mushroom Museum unique in the world. You have a chance to see the infamous and deadly Amanita phalloides, also known as death cap. They are preserved in their original state so to educate visitors about mushrooms and mycology. In addition, it is about developing ecological awareness. Preserving forests from devastation and overcrowding. It is led by agronomist and greatest authority on mushrooms in Croatia, Professor Romano Bozac, D.Sc. In fact, he can take you around the exhibit, if he has the time. https://www.visitzagreb.hr/zagreb/mushroom-museum/

Backo Mini Express is an amazing mini-train museum filled with innovation and surprises. Marvel at a very carefully constructed wonderland of trains, skiers, stations and towns. You can get up close and see how it works. Backo Mini Express will overjoy train lovers and children with their models. After six years of work, the scale model is displayed across 75 square metres. It is constantly expanding through innovation and new models. In fact, at the moment it is the largest model in south-eastern Europe. Although the museum is in a single room, they showcase 102 model trains across 1050 m of the railway on 8 levels. They are also featuring a miniature model of the Snow Queen Trophy at Sljeme and an ice skating rink at Tomislav Square. The ski slope is complete with snow, moving skiers, borders and cable railway. It takes some serious engineering and technical innovations to fit all that in. As a matter of fact, they paid attention to the finest detail. Including the scenery which is extraordinary. They thought of everything, including weather control, moving road car models and people engaged in various activities. https://www.visitzagreb.hr/zagreb/backo-mini-express/

The Museum of Broken Relationships is a collection of relationships and in fact an emotional rollercoaster. The first privately owned museum in Zagreb and a winner of the European Museum Kenneth Hudson Award in 2011. It is located in the beautiful baroque Kulmer palace in the Upper Town – a historical part of Zagreb rich in tourist attractions. Conceptualised by Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić, the Museum has toured internationally, amassing an amazing collection and promoting Zagreb. The Museum of Broken Relationships is dedicated to failed relationships. As a matter of fact, it exhibits personal objects, leftover from former owners, accompanied by their stories and emotions. Exhibits hit on a range of emotions and relationships. Reflect on your personal experiences and how they intertwine with the items on display. It makes you think of the value we give to common objects. It is not about the items you will find. Above all else, it is about the incredible experience and emotions you feel as you walk through the exhibition! https://www.visitzagreb.hr/zagreb/museum-broken-relationships/

Zagreb City Museum will show you all aspects of the city. Showing Zagreb under the influence of politics, the church, history, economy, town-planning and architecture, the history of art and literature, and everyday life. The Museum building was once the Convent of the Poor Clares and is a historical monument itself. Their most valuable exhibit. The exhibition shows the lifecycle of Zagreb through 45 themes. Built around the artefacts the Museum possesses. You will find a prehistoric settlement constructed in the 7th century BC. Starting with the Hallstatt culture of the Early Iron Age and a house and workshop of the La Tene culture of the Late Iron Age. The archaeological map shows visitors the most important sites and finds in the city! https://www.visitzagreb.hr/zagreb/zagreb-city-museum/