Zagreb opens city museums free to students throughout March

Tehnical Museum (Photo: Marko Vrdoljak/Zagreb Tourist Board)

ZAGREB, 28 February 2026 – Pupils from primary and secondary schools across Zagreb will be able to visit city-run museums free of charge throughout the month of March, as part of a new pilot project designed to make culture more accessible to young people.

The initiative, titled “Mladi u muzeje” (Young People to Museums), allows students to explore museums independently by presenting their school e-register identification.

The idea originated from pupils at Osnovna škola Ivana Meštrovića and II. gimnazija, who are involved in the ZAG – Community of Active Citizens programme. Their goal was to bring culture closer to young people and make it more present not only in classrooms but also in their free time.

The project highlights how youth engagement can directly shape cultural policy at city level.

Participating Museums

The pilot includes museums founded by the City of Zagreb, offering a broad spectrum of cultural, scientific and historical experiences. Participating institutions include:

• Arheološki muzej u Zagrebu

• Tehnički muzej Nikola Tesla

• Etnografski muzej u Zagrebu

• Muzej Prigorja

• Muzej suvremene umjetnosti

• Muzej grada Zagreba

• Hrvatski prirodoslovni muzej

• Hrvatski školski muzej

• Galerija Školica za pet

• Galerija Muzeja za umjetnost i obrt

By opening their doors free of charge, the museums aim to encourage regular engagement with culture among younger generations.

The City of Zagreb says the initiative forms part of its Culture Development Plan 2024–2030. It builds on previous measures introduced last year, including the Zagreb Museum Weekend and the Zagreb Neighbourhoods of Culture programme, which delivered more than 100 free cultural events across 14 city districts.

Mayor Tomislav Tomašević welcomed the project, noting that its student-led origins demonstrate how strongly young people value access to culture.

“Our goal is for free museum visits to become permanent practice, and to increase the number of free-entry days as early as next year. We want to continuously develop programmes that allow citizens to participate in the cultural life of the city. Culture must not be a privilege, but a right accessible to all,” Tomašević said.

The ZAG programme, alongside the optional secondary school subject School and Community, forms part of Zagreb’s broader civic education framework. It encourages young people to identify needs within their communities and actively contribute to solutions.

City officials describe the museum initiative as a clear example of the programme’s success, demonstrating how student engagement can translate into tangible policy changes that benefit thousands.

Students can find further details about the programme and museum opening hours on the Guru za kulturu website.