Croatia has numerous museums scattered all over the country. Due to rich Croatian history dating back to prehistoric times Croatia has a vast variety of valuable artefacts as well as intangible cultural heritage.
Croatian museums mainly consist of archeological, ethnographical and city museums. On the other hand there are galleries hosting mostly works of local artists.
Here I will point out several interesting Croatian museums which visitors often tend to overlook due to its location or more famous relatives.
Krapina Neanderthal Museum
Krapina Neanderthal museum is one of the most modern Croatian museums located on the largest site of Neanderthal fossils in the world. Specific and inovativne way of presenting the topic makes this museum suitable for all ages – from kids and students to laypersons and scientists.
This permanent multimedial exhibition of rich paleoanthropological heritage brings to life people of Krapina who lived in the area 125 000 years ago. Visit to Krapina Neanderthal museum will take you on a journey through evolution based on latest scientific findings – from cosmic and chemical evolution, evolution of live to realistic representation of our ancestors.
Krapina Neanderthal Museum is situated on the excavation site in Hušnjakovo, western part of Krapina, 60 km north from Zagreb. Entrance fee is 60 HRK for adults and 30 HRK for children, students and pensioners.
Memorial Center of Nikola Tesla
This Memorial Center is dedicated to one of the greatest minds that ever lived – Nikola Tesla whose remarkable ideas transformed daily life. In spite of many Tesla’s inventions being displayed at Technical Museum in Zagreb, Memorial Center in his birthplace commemorates his origins and tells a story of inventors life therefore it is definitely worth visiting.
Complex is divided into three parts – museum inside his reconstructed childhood house, orthodox church where his father served as a minister and multimedial centre. Exhibition will show you life of Nikola Tesla, from his childhood in Croatia to last years in United States. Furthermore, one part of Nikola Tesla museum displays replicas of some of his most famous invention:, Tesla turbine, Tesla transformer, electric motor and “Egg of Columbus”.
Not only does this exhibition show us the life of such an incredible mind it teaches us how people from small unknown places can achieve big things. With this in mind I encourage you to visit this museum on your way to Croatian coast.
Memorial center of Nikola Tesla is located in village of Smiljan in mountainous region of Lika in central Croatia. Entrance fee is 50 HRK for adults and 20 HRK for children, students and pensioners.
Museum of Alka
Museum of Alka commemorates knights tournament which takes place annually, since 1715., in the small city of Sinj. Alka became a witness of local history and tradition and for that reason it is inscribed in UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Interactive exhibition space of the museum provides detailed information on history and tradition through displays of uniforms, equipment and weapons, rule books and life-sized representation of knights. Multimedial part of the museum has a special focus on the youngest visitors. On the other hand, opening of this museum in 2015., brought new light on tradition of Alka even for locals and scientists.
Museum of Alka is located in Sinj, small city in Dalmatian hinterland, 30 km from Split. Entrance fee is 40 HRK for adults and 20 HRK for children, students and pensioners.
Museum of Apoxyomenos
Museum of Apoxyomenos is distinctive among Croatian museums because it is dedicated to one sole exhibit – bronze statue of Apoxyomenos from 2nd or 1st Century BC. After discovery in the Adriatic Sea in depth of 45 m and process of extensive restaurations, Croatian Apoxyomenos was displayed in some of the most important world museums such as Louvre. Eventually, this unique archeological find became permanent exhibit of his very own museum. Besides being a exceptional example of work of art and archeological sensation, statue shows a remarkable skill of 6-year long restauration.
The museum takes visitor through sensory route to unravel the history of Apoxyomenos and story of sensational discovery of the statue. Finally visitor is confronted with the massive Greek statue of timeless beauty which takes breath away.
Museum of Apoxyomenos is situated on Island of Lošinj in Kvarner Bay. Entrance fee from November 1st to Easter is 50 HRK for adults and 25 HRK for children, students and pensioners. If you are visiting in period from Easter to end of October entrance fee is 75/40 HRK.
PHOTO: Krapina Neanderthal Museum, Museum Documentation Center, Association of Architects Zagreb