Croatian Sports Museum to open and showcase greatest achievements

Croatian athletes, sports enthusiasts, and the general public are gaining a space where the history, development, and greatest achievements of Croatian sports in Croatia from the 19th century onwards are showcased in one place. 

By the end of this year, in the centre of Zagreb, at Ilica 13/I, the Croatian Sports Museum will open its first permanent exhibition for the public. 

Although the institution, which systematically collects, processes, and preserves the most valuable sports heritage in Croatia, has been operating for over 70 years in various forms, and since 2003 independently as a national museum institution under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Media, it has not had a space where the complete history and development of sports and physical exercise would be accessible to the public, telling the story of the greatest achievements of Croatian athletes.

During its operation, the museum has collected a significant amount of valuable material related to physical exercise and sports in Croatia, and today its collection includes more than 360,000 items. 

This includes photographs, documents, publications, objects (medals, awards, equipment, tools, clothing, etc.), arranged in 8 museum collections, and a part of this rich material will now be presented to the public for the first time in a permanent, organised, and functional space.

Danira Bilić, the director of the Croatian Sports Museum, presented the project for the permanent exhibition to the media. The building where the permanent exhibition will be located is in the courtyard of Ilica 13/I, obtained in 2018 from the Ministry of State Property.

The extremely poor condition of the interior and exterior of the building, dating back to 1926, required complex work, and immediately, the necessary documentation was prepared to adapt the space for its purpose. The museological concept for the project of creating the permanent exhibition was developed by Professor of Sports History, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zrinko Čustonja, and was approved by the Croatian Museum Council in December 2019. 

Three public tenders have been conducted over time for the renovation of the space. The chief architect and architect of the project is Goran Rako, a graduate engineer of architecture, and the designer of the permanent exhibition is Nikolina Jelavić Mitrović, a graduate designer. 

The total estimated value of the project is around 5 million euros and is funded through the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia.

The dynamics of arranging the museum have been influenced by the pandemic, earthquakes, and the fact that the building is a protected cultural heritage site, which is why three conservation studies have been conducted so far. However, according to the current schedule, we are entering a phase that involves furnishing the interior and arranging the permanent exhibition, with the aim of opening the museum by the end of this Olympic year, 2024.

The exhibition space has two floors, a basement, and a ground floor, with a total area of 508 square meters.

“The exhibition is thematically divided into two sections. In the basement, there is the section “Foundation,” which tells the story of the development of sports and physical exercise in Croatia from the mid-19th century to the present day, as well as its cultural and social significance, with the addition of descriptions of two major sports events held in Croatia, the Mediterranean Games in 1979 and the University Games in 1987, which influenced the development of sports and social infrastructure and changed the landscapes of the host cities, Split and Zagreb,” said Danira Bilić.

On the ground floor, there is the section “Achievements,” which refers to the greatest achievements of Croatian sports on a global level since independence. 

According to the concept, it is similar to the American Halls of Fame, but the emphasis is on sports results. Danira Bilić emphasises that the task of the section on the greatest achievements of Croatian sports is to connect with the audience, i.e., to meet their expectations and encourage emotional engagement with the great recent achievements of sports in Croatia since independence.

In terms of museum practice, this permanent exhibition project of the Croatian Sports Museum departs from the usual, traditional approaches.

“Above all, it is significant that the entire exhibition is modular, meaning that all aspects, from objects to themes to sections, can be changed without lengthy and complex procedures. Sport is a living organism, which should be reflected in the museum’s exhibition,” said Danira Bilić.

In line with contemporary museum trends, the exhibition of the Croatian Sports Museum will be largely interactive and multimedia, which will undoubtedly attract numerous visitors. 

The aim is to target various visitor groups, from student and sports groups to tourists, for whom the location in the heart of the capital city will be recognisable, and the museum’s content attractive and appealing. The ultimate goal of the project is to present the history of Croatian sports from its beginnings to the present day, and to highlight its social and cultural significance.

“Also, the goals include sustainability, encouraging sports participation, enriching the cultural and tourist offer of Zagreb and Croatia, and we believe it will also contribute to the creation of a new museum audience,” concluded the director of the Croatian Sports Museum, Danira Bilić. She thanked all institutions and associations in the field of sports and culture, as well as individuals with whom the museum collaborates in the realisation of the project to create the permanent exhibition.

The space for the future permanent exhibition was also visited by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, and the Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Koržinek. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the exhibition and congratulated the museum staff and all partners on the project’s realization. 

He noted that Croatian sports will be unified for the first time.

“When completed by the end of the year, the valuable sports heritage will be showcased to Croatian citizens in one place, as well as to tourists visiting the capital city, helping them gain insight into the history of Croatian sports and the numerous achievements of our athletes, and what makes Croatia as a brand most recognisable in the world,” said Plenković.