Origins and Evolution of the Croatian Natural History Museum

Photo: The Croatian Natural History Museum

The Croatian Natural History Museum, among the largest in Croatia, resides in a historic noble palace in Zagreb’s Upper Town. Between 1797 and 1834, this location also hosted the well-known Amadeo Theater, founded by Hungarian Count Anton Amade de Varkony. The museum’s roots extend to the National Revival period, beginning with the establishment of the National Museum in 1846.

The museum’s early collections grew steadily over time, gaining significant momentum thanks to the efforts of notable Croatian natural historians. They were mostly professors at the University of Zagreb and the museum’s first experts, and made lasting contributions. They not only expanded the museum's collections but also helped establish key disciplines in the natural sciences, founding specialized departments within the National Museum’s natural history section.

A Rich Collection of Natural Wonders

Today, the museum’s collection includes over 2 million specimens, encompassing minerals, fossils, plants, and animal species from across Croatia and other regions. Organized into departments for Geology and Paleontology, Zoology, Mineralogy and Petrology, and Botany, each area highlights Croatia's natural heritage.

The Geological-Paleontological Department

Photo: The Croatian Natural History Museum

In 1986, the Museum of Geology and Paleontology merged into the Croatian Natural History Museum, housing 27 collections with nearly 300,000 specimens. The department's work, guided by ongoing field research, focuses on preserving and expanding its unique holdings, including the Krapina Pleistocene and Holotype collections, as well as fossils from Croatia's diverse regions.

Historic figures like Spiridion Brusina, Gjuro Pilar, and Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger made groundbreaking contributions, including the discovery of the Krapina Neanderthals. Their work helped shape the museum's collections and modern geological research in Croatia. Over time, more curators further enriched the museum’s holdings, with the 1960s modernization improving research conditions. 

The Geological-Paleontological Department boasts a vast collection of fossils and geological items, including important artifacts like the Krapina Neanderthal remains.

The Zoological Department 

Photo: The Croatian Natural History Museum

The Department of Zoology at the Croatian Natural History Museum has its origins in the National Museum established in 1846, with early collections including conch, ostracodes, insects, and zoological specimens. By 1866, the collections grew to include a diverse range of species, such as mammals, birds, beetles, butterflies, and various invertebrates, along with collections of molluscs and other groups. By 1899, the museum housed approximately 90,000 specimens from a wide variety of animal categories.

The Zoological Department today contains approximately 1.13 million animal specimens, divided into vertebrates and invertebrates, and operates a laboratory for molecular analysis.

Department of Mineralogy and Petrography

Photo: The Croatian Natural History Museum

Today, the former Museum of Mineralogy and Petrography is part of the Croatian Natural History Museum, established on April 1, 1987, through the merger of three independent museums: the Croatian National Museum of Zoology, the Museum of Geology and Palaeontology, and the Museum of Mineralogy and Petrography.

Mineral collections showcase both international and specialized selections, such as the Lanza and Trepča collections.

Department of Botany

Photo: The Croatian Natural History Museum

The Department of Botany's herbarium collection, established in 1987, now holds around 100,000 vascular plant specimens, with new material added each year. It includes three herbaria: the Herbarium of Higher Plants, the Herbarium Trinajstić, and the Collection of Algae. The department focuses on collecting plants, studying flora and vegetation, and processing botanical material. This includes tasks such as preparation, identification, documentation, preservation, and showcasing the collection through exhibitions and educational events.

Revitalizing the Croatian Natural History Museum

The old-new Croatian Natural History Museum on Zagreb's Upper Town, housed in the renovated Amadeo Palace, is once again setting to become one of the most exciting cultural destinations in Croatia. After an extensive two-and-a-half-year renovation, the museum opened its doors to visitors at the end of September 2024. The new permanent exhibition is spread across 39 halls on three floors, featuring around 5,000 artifacts from 84 collections, enhanced by interactive content and multimedia installations.

The museum's renovation was completed through two major projects. The first, titled “Heritage Keeper as a Catalyst for Development, Research, and Learning,” is the largest cultural project ever undertaken in Zagreb, while the second focused on post-earthquake structural restoration and preservation of the museum’s collections. The total investment of over €31 million was co-financed by the European Union, the City of Zagreb, and other institutions. The Amadeo Palace, where the museum has been located since 1867, has now been transformed through modernized exhibition spaces, laboratories, and new facilities, including a gift shop and museum café.

The new permanent exhibition offers visitors an in-depth look at the natural world through a rich display of mineral, fossil, insect, mollusk, and plant collections. Multimedia elements enable interactive exploration, providing a unique insight into the evolution of life on Earth. Special emphasis has been placed on new spaces that allow for various cultural and educational events.

A covered atrium serves as the centerpiece for showcasing large exhibits, while an additional annex has opened up a new entrance to the museum, connecting it with the gorgeous Tuškanac promenade. The multimedia hall introduces visitors to the exhibition’s journey, starting with the theme of the universe and continuing through the entire history and diversity of the natural world.

The current exhibition, Croatian Natural Heritage – Insects, offers a fascinating display of insects, species that have shaped our planet’s history. The museum houses a total of 36 insect collections, containing over 450,000 items, now available in the newly renovated space.

There are, of course, more things to do. For example, the museum's library, founded way back in 1868, holds rare books from the 17th and 18th centuries—a real treasure trove for history and science lovers alike. Since 1992, the museum is publishing Natura Croatica, a scientific journal focused on natural history. One of my favorites, though, is the summertime, when the museum’s courtyard transforms into the lively "Amadeo" stage, hosting theater, music, and film events under the open sky. The whole combination makes a wonderful family and friends day trip where creativity, education, history and science walk hand-in-hand.

Today, the Croatian Natural History Museum is much more than a collection of natural treasures; it has become a true center of science, education, and cultural tourism, contributing to the development of the entire region. With its fresh approach to natural history and modern presentation, the museum is poised to be a destination that connects history, nature, and the future, inspiring generations to a deeper understanding of the natural world.

So, grab your family and friends and spend one of your afternoons in this charming, newly renovated museum! See you there.

Photo credit: Croatian Natural History Museum

Author: Valentin Preložiček