Croatia unveils new immersive attraction bringing Dalmatian heritage to life

(Photo: Etnoland)

PAKOVO SELO, Croatia, 8 September 2026 – A major new attraction showcasing Dalmatian heritage through immersive technology, monumental sculpture and traditional storytelling is set to open at Etnoland in Pakovo Selo near Šibenik this Friday.

The Croatian heritage-themed park will officially present its expanded facilities on 11 September, following a €6.29 million investment aimed at transforming the visitor experience.

The project represents the largest private investment in the presentation of Croatian heritage and culture, as well as the biggest investment in the 19-year history of Etnoland, which is run by husband and wife Joško and Ana Lokas.

(Photo: Etnoland)

The newly developed attraction combines three main additions.

360° immersive journey

At the centre of the transformation is a new 360° multimedia presentation, using a screen more than 100 metres long that surrounds visitors on all sides.

(Photo: Etnoland)

Rather than simply watching a film, visitors become immersed in the story.

The presentation follows the life of Šime, Joško Lokas’s great-grandfather, tracing his journey from poverty in a rocky Dalmatian village to emigration to New York and eventually his return to his homeland.

The story reflects the experiences of generations of Croatians who left the country in search of a better life and later maintained strong connections with their roots.

(Photo: Etnoland)

Three monumental sculptures

Etnoland has also added three large sculptures created by Croatian academic sculptor Nikola Vudrag.

Made from weathering steel, the sculptures symbolise the concept of home and Croatian identity.

One of them is dedicated to Drniš prosciutto and stands nine metres tall. Etnoland describes it as the largest known sculpture of a prosciutto in the world.

(Photo: Etnoland)

Didova kuća expanded

The park’s traditional Didova kuća (Grandfather’s House) has also been upgraded.

(Photo: Etnoland)

Screens have been introduced across five rooms to make the storytelling experience accessible to a larger number of visitors while retaining the character and warmth of the original presentation.

Etnoland also preserves an ethnographic collection listed in Croatia’s Register of Cultural Goods, giving the site a role in safeguarding protected cultural heritage in addition to its tourism function.

The transformation was carried out through the project “Green and Digital Transition of the Dalmati Theme Park”, implemented by Dalmati d.o.o., the company behind Etnoland.

(Photo: Etnoland)

The project was supported through Croatia’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, with funding from the European Union’s NextGenerationEU programme.

The total project value was €6,288,981, with €4.86 million in eligible costs and €3.04 million in EU grant funding.

The investment has so far created seven additional jobs in Pakovo Selo, with further employment growth expected.

The project also includes environmental measures.

(Photo: Etnoland)

Etnoland says the changes have reduced its annual CO₂ emissions by more than 22 tonnes, while improvements in primary energy use mean the new system does not emit greenhouse gases.

The park has also introduced an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001:2015.

(Photo: Etnoland)

The multimedia production itself has received an international Green Film certification, developed by the Trentino Film Commission. It is described as the first film production in Croatia to receive the certification, which assesses the environmental sustainability of audiovisual productions.

(Photo: Etnoland)

Joško Lokas said the new presentation goes beyond his own family’s story and reflects the experiences of many Dalmatian families whose ancestors left home but carried their roots with them.

(Photo: Etnoland)

After almost two decades and more than 600,000 visitors, Etnoland is now entering a new phase, combining traditional Croatian heritage with digital technology and contemporary visitor experiences.

Location: Etnoland, Put Čikole 4, Pakovo Selo