It’s no surprise that Croatia is rich with unique history and artistic treasures. We are a country that is bustling with museums, galleries, and ancient attractions that will make any art aficionado, tourist, or historian’s dreams come true. Zagreb even has the most museums per capita than anywhere else in the world, and that’s something you feel in the air every time you visit. In order to try to narrow down your museum selections, we’re here to craft you a list of some of the most unique museums in Croatia – and trust us, this wasn’t easy.
Nikola Tesla Memorial Center: Tucked beneath the Velebit mountain somewhere between Zagreb and Split, the birthplace of Nikola Tesla hides in the small town of Smiljan. Today, the house where he was born, along with his father’s church, a farmhouse, an open-air auditorium, a multimedia center, a platform for demonstrations, and a playground make up the Nikola Tesla Memorial Center. This permanent exhibition brings you through Tesla’s biography, focusing especially on his unique personality. Here you’ll find replicas of his most famous inventions, as well as small scale replicas of some of his smaller works.
Museum of Broken Relationships: Unlike your typical and usually self-destructive, self-help instructions and agenda for “break up recovery”, this museum offers a chance to overcome an emotional collapse through creation and most uniquely, by contributing to the Museum’s collection. The Museum has a permanent location in Zagreb but has toured internationally, amassing an amazing collection. Whatever the motivation for donating personal belongings, people embraced this idea of exhibiting their love legacy and we are happy to take the emotional rollercoaster through this exhibit to feel it. It’s heavy but inspiring, one not to miss.
War Photo Limited: Located in Dubrovnik, the intent of this museum was to educate the public in the field of war photography, to expose the myth of war and the intoxication of war, to let people see war as it is – frightening and venal, and focuses on how war inflicts injustices on innocents and combatants alike. This museum works to make the disease of war understandable to the young, especially focusing on the intolerance, violence and nationalistic idealisms that lead to conflict. With no political agenda, War Photo Limited exhibits works they deem appropriate to the specific area of War and Conflict Photography. Their exhibits are the work of world renowned photojournalists, and although may be disturbing to some, their photographs are presented in the way they feel their work should be seen.
Typhlological Museum: A somewhat off the radar museum, most of Zagreb’s visitors and residents may have never heard anything about the Typhlological Museum. Typhlology is the medical study of blindness, and Zagreb houses one of just a few in the world dedicated to the subject. With a small number of objects collected by pedagogue and advocate for blind rights Vinko Bek during the 19th century, the permanent collection includes teaching and writing aids, medical equipment, art created by blind artists, photographs, and other archival material. There is even a “Dark Room” where you must lead yourselves through a pitch black maze without sight, only using the power of your nose and ears.
Ivan Meštrović Gallery: In the historical city of Split you will find this stellar art gallery, and in it a comprehensive, well-arranged collection of works by Ivan Meštrović, Croatia’s most famous modern sculptor. What is now the gallery used to be Meštrović’s personal residence from 1931 to 1939. There are around 192 sculptures, 583 drawings, 4 paintings, 291 architectural plans, and 2 furniture sets on display.
Museum of Illusions: Unique in this part of Europe, Croatia has two Museum of illusions, one in Zagreb and one in Zadar. By entering into this mind altering world of fantasy, you will be able to explore more than 70 exciting interactive exhibits such as ames room, slanted room, endless room, levitating water, and some of the largest hologram exhibitions in this part of Europe. Through these illusions, visitors will learn a lot about the mind, perception, the human brain and science.
