Mimara Museum, Zagreb

The Mimara Museum is one of Zagreb’s major cultural institutions, located on Republic of Croatia Square. Opened to the public on July 17, 1987, it presents the Art Collection of Ante and Wiltrud Topić Mimara, assembled by Ante Topić Mimara with the intention of incorporating his private holdings into the national heritage. The collection, donated to the Croatian nation in 1973 and 1986, is housed in a grand late 19th-century Neo-Renaissance building originally constructed as a secondary school.

The museum’s permanent exhibition includes more than 3,750 works, spanning several millennia and a wide range of materials and techniques. Often described as a “three-dimensional art encyclopedia,” the collection brings together objects from ancient civilizations through to the early 20th century.

The ground floor features an extensive glass collection, tracing the development of glassmaking from around 2000 BC to the 19th century, including Venetian and Murano pieces. The first floor presents artifacts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, ancient Greece, and Rome, alongside European sculpture and decorative arts. The upper floor focuses on paintings by Italian, French, Flemish, Spanish, and Dutch masters, as well as a notable collection of icons.

Spanning three floors, the museum’s layout encourages a chronological and thematic exploration, allowing visitors to move through different cultures and periods within a single visit. Its scale and diversity make it one of Zagreb’s most comprehensive and distinctive art venues.