The City Museum of Zagreb (Muzej grada Zagreba in Croatian and often referred to in English as Zagreb City Museum) is one of the city’s century-old museums.
The museum is located in the former convent of the Poor Clares with its trompe l’oeil windows. The museum shows the capital’s history from prehistoric times, through the great Roman period, the Middle Ages, and modern times. The country’s recent history, and in particular the period of the war of independence in the 1990s, is not covered as thoroughly as the rest. The museum is organized by major historical period, but also by theme (no less than 45!). The museum exhibits more than 4,500 pieces out of a total of 75,000.
Visitors are taken on a journey through time from the basement cellars to the three floors of the main building, all of which are staged and illuminated. This epic journey allows us to better understand the city’s evolution from a small village in ancient times to a major trading center and the country’s capital.
The museum contains both works of art and everyday objects. The mix of the two illustrates really well the life of the city through the centuries. The archaeological space is particularly interesting and displays objects found during recent excavations on the site. The art collection of Tille Derieux and a rare collection of music boxes make this museum unique. A section of the museum was recently dedicated to the Zagreb School of Cartooning and is well worth a visit.
This museum will appeal to children with its staging and various didactic and interactive exhibits. Adults will leave the museum with a better understanding of the city’s history. For example, the connection between the episcopal city Kaptol and the royal city Gradec is particularly well explained.
Practical information
- More information: official website
- Address: 20 Opaticka Street, Zagreb (upper town)
- Opening hours: 10 am to 7 pm every day except Monday (closed at 2 pm on Sunday). Museum closed on public holidays. Plan at least an hour and a half to visit the museum. Perfect in case of bad weather.
- Price : 5 euros. Temporary exhibitions are free.
- Language: Croatian and English
- Audioguides are available and are quite necessary.