Night of Museums to open 287 venues for free tonight across Croatia

(Photo: Julien Duval/Zagreb Tourist Board)

ZAGREB, 30 Jan (Hina) – Croatia’s popular cultural event, the Night of Museums, will take place on Friday, opening 287 museums, galleries and heritage institutions free of charge across 155 towns and cities nationwide, as well as at six locations in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Now in its 21st edition, the annual event continues to attract strong public interest and has become one of Croatia’s most significant cultural initiatives. This year’s programme does not have a central theme, allowing participating institutions to design content based on their own collections and local audiences.

According to Vlasta Krklec, President of the Croatian Museum Association, around 700 individual events have been scheduled. These include 100 exhibition openings, 95 workshops, approximately 30 children’s theatre performances, as well as lectures, film screenings, concerts and live performances.

Krklec noted that the Night of Museums began in 2005 with only a small number of museums in Zagreb, and has since expanded to nearly 300 institutions nationwide. Over the past 20 years, the event has attracted around 4.5 million visitors, underlining its enduring popularity and importance within Croatia’s cultural calendar.

The event is traditionally held during the winter months, when museums tend to host fewer programmes, and takes place on the last Friday of January each year. Museums will open their doors from 6:00 pm until 1:00 am, offering visitors the opportunity to explore cultural spaces in a unique evening setting.

Krklec highlighted a steady increase in family attendance, with children visiting alongside parents and grandparents. At the same time, younger visitors continue to show strong interest, often using museums as places to socialise, learn and enjoy cultural experiences in a relaxed environment.

She also emphasised that the Night of Museums has significantly increased the visibility of cultural institutions, particularly in smaller communities, and has provided valuable support and recognition for museum professionals across the country.

Croatian History Museum (Photo: Marko Vrdoljak/Zagreb Tourist Board)

The national opening of this year’s Night of Museums will be held at the Međimurje Museum in Čakovec. The central event will feature the opening of an exhibition examining the relationship between heritage and the digital age, including a display of computers manufactured in Croatia during the 1980s.

In Zagreb, visitors will also have the opportunity to explore three newly opened or renovated museums: the Croatian Sports Museum, the Museum of Travel, and the newly refurbished Meštrović Atelier.