First permanent Croatian Sports Museum opens in Zagreb

(Photo: Vlada Republike Hrvatske)

Croatia has officially opened the first permanent exhibition of the Croatian Sports Museum.

The museum was formally opened on Tuesday by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at a ceremony held at its new home at Ilica 13, just steps from Ban Jelačić Square.

The event attracted a large number of guests from the worlds of Croatian sport, politics, culture and public life.

Located in a fully renovated historic building, the Croatian Sports Museum spans more than 500 square metres across two floors in central Zagreb.

The space has been restored as part of the extensive post-earthquake reconstruction of the city and now serves as a permanent home for preserving and presenting Croatia’s rich sporting heritage.

(Photo: Vlada Republike Hrvatske)

The permanent exhibition is divided into two thematic sections.

The lower level, titled Foundations, explores the development of sport and physical education in Croatia from the second half of the 19th century, tracing the roots of organised sport and its role in shaping Croatian society.

The ground floor exhibition, Successes, is dedicated to Croatia’s sporting achievements since independence, highlighting medals, trophies and landmark performances at the Olympic Games and world championships that have placed the country firmly on the global sporting map.

The museum has been designed as a modular, adaptable and interactive space, allowing exhibitions to be updated regularly in line with new sporting achievements and modern museum standards. Multimedia displays and interactive elements aim to engage visitors of all generations.

(Photo: Vlada Republike Hrvatske)

The Croatian Sports Museum holds an impressive collection of nearly 500,000 items. Around 1,000 carefully selected artefacts, books and documents are displayed in the permanent exhibition, alongside approximately 500 photographs presented across both floors.

Many of the exhibits have been donated by Croatian athletes themselves, including medals, trophies, jerseys and personal memorabilia that reflect decades of sporting excellence.

Speaking at the opening, Prime Minister Plenković expressed his satisfaction that the building near Zagreb’s main square had been identified as the home of the Croatian Sports Museum within the broader reconstruction of the city.

(Photo: Vlada Republike Hrvatske)

He emphasised that sport is one of the areas in which Croatia is internationally recognised, noting that the achievements of Croatian athletes have helped turn the country into a global brand.

“It is important that our greatest sporting successes are visible and accessible to the public,” Plenković said, adding that the museum’s central location would serve as inspiration for future generations.

He also highlighted the government’s increased support for sport over the past decade. In 2016, state funding for sport amounted to €26 million, a figure he described as shockingly low at the time. Today, that investment has risen to approximately €190 million.

Plenković stressed that encouraging young people to participate in sport is vital, both for public well-being and for Croatia’s international standing.

(Photo: Vlada Republike Hrvatske)

The Prime Minister also pointed to significant investments in the restoration of Zagreb’s cultural heritage, stating that the city would soon have a completely renewed appearance. Among the restored institutions are the second stage of the Croatian National Theatre, the Meštrović Atelier and now the Croatian Sports Museum.

He thanked athletes for contributing their personal items to the museum collection, joking that the volume of material could justify an even larger museum in the future.