Zagreb opens free pools, museums and libraries during heatwave

(Photo: Upravljanje sportskim objektima)

Zagreb residents will have free access to several city facilities this weekend as the Croatian capital prepares for a new period of high temperatures.

With a new heatwave forecast across Croatia, the City of Zagreb has announced that citizens will be able to cool down at selected public swimming pools, visit museums and galleries without charge, and spend time in city libraries offering shelter from the heat.

The free access programme will run from Friday 31 July until Sunday 2 August.

“Due to the expected high temperatures brought by the new heatwave, we want to provide citizens with as many accessible places as possible for cooling down,” Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said, encouraging residents to make use of the city’s sports and cultural facilities.

The city is also preparing a new decision that would regulate activities of municipal institutions during heatwaves, including free entry to city museums and cultural venues during periods of extreme weather.

Among the swimming facilities available this weekend will be the Šalata, Iver, Utrine and Jelkovec pools. Other city pools are currently undergoing maintenance, renovation works or are hosting competitions. The Jelkovec pool will reopen for public use on Saturday and Sunday after completing scheduled maintenance on Friday.

Residents will also be able to enter several air-conditioned cultural institutions free of charge, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Archaeological Museum, the Gallery of the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Croatian Natural History Museum, and the “Školica za pet” gallery space of the Croatian School Museum.

Free entry will also be available at the Zagreb City Museum, although parts of the building are only partially air-conditioned.

The Zagreb City Libraries, operating across 42 locations, will also remain available during their summer opening hours. Many branches have air-conditioned spaces where visitors can read, take part in programmes or spend time away from the heat.

The City of Zagreb has also reminded residents that almost 200 public drinking water fountains are available throughout the city, providing additional opportunities to cool down during the hot weather.

Authorities are encouraging citizens to follow health protection advice issued by the Croatian Institute of Public Health and take precautions during the expected extreme temperatures.