New exhibition brings 2,000 years of Split’s history to life

(Photo credit: Muzej grada Splita)

SPLIT, 24 September 2025 (Hina) – The City Museum of Split has unveiled its new permanent exhibition “Palace of Life, City of Change”, celebrating the city’s layered history from its ancient beginnings to the Renaissance era.

The exhibition, housed in the restored ground floor of the Grand Papalić Palace, is the culmination of an extensive project that combined structural renovation, archaeological research and the development of a modern museological concept.

Using multimedia and innovative interpretation methods, the display offers visitors an engaging insight into over 2,000 years of Split’s urban and cultural development.

The official opening brought together leading figures from public, cultural and political life.

Among the speakers were Croatia’s Minister of Culture and Media Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Split Mayor Tomislav Šuta, Split-Dalmatia County Prefect Blaženko Boban, President of the Museum’s Board Nikola Aleksić, and exhibition concept author Joško Belamarić.

Minister Obuljen Koržinek highlighted the significance of the project, not just for Split but for Croatia as a whole.

“This is one of the truly valuable projects. We are especially pleased that, through cooperation with the City of Split and the Museum, we have managed to revitalise another important part of the city’s cultural infrastructure.

Alongside Zagreb, Split is currently the city with the largest investment in the museum sector,” she said, noting the ongoing restoration of the Archaeological Museum and the Meštrović Gallery.

Prefect Boban underlined how the project strengthens Split’s status as a city of heritage.

“Following the restoration of the City Hall and this space, we are also looking forward to the opening of the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments. Thanks to these investments, heritage is not only preserved but presented in a way that attracts both citizens and tourists,” he said.

Mayor Šuta emphasised the Museum’s role in the city’s identity.

“This project restores the heart of Split’s cultural heritage in the city centre. We want Split to be recognised as a cultural destination,” he stated.

The exhibition’s concept, created by Joško Belamarić, offers a scholarly framework that interprets the city’s historical layers through archaeological finds and the story of its urban evolution.

“Palace of Life, City of Change” forms part of the broader revitalisation of the City Museum of Split, which includes the restoration and reinterpretation of the Papalić Palace.

Upcoming phases will expand the exhibition spaces and enhance the content, establishing the museum as a lasting cultural hub for both the city and Croatia’s wider cultural scene.