Museums and Galleries Tour (Self Guided), Zagreb

Zagreb City Museum or The Museum of The City of Zagreb was established in 1907 by the Association of the Brethren of the Croatian Dragon. It is housed in a restored monumental complex (Popov Toranj, the Observatory, Zakmardi Granary) of the former Convent of the Poor Clares of 1650. The Museum recounts the cultural, artistic, economic and political history of the city spanning from Roman finds to the modern period. The holdings comprise 75,000 items arranged systematically into collections of artistic and mundane objects characteristic of the city and its history.

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Museum of Ivan Mestrovic is located in the actual house where the renowned Croatian sculptor lived and worked. Ivan Meštrović bought a piece of land on the Marjan peninsula west of Split in the 1920s, where he intended to build a summer home. The villa was built between 1931 and 1939 to an original design by Meštrović himself, and he was involved right through its construction. He bequeathed all his works to the nation.

As well as displaying the works of art, the museum provides insight into the lifestyle of the great artist. The permanent collection includes works of sculpture, drawings, design, furniture and architecture. Holdings include original plaster models by the artist, as well as finished works in bronze, marble and wood; it covers two floors of the building and an outdoor sculpture park. The work is arranged by theme, rather than chronological order, and displayed in a manner consistent with the exhibition space.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday: 10 am - 6 pm; Saturday and Sunday: 10 am - 2 pm

The Croatian Museum of Naïve Art is a fine art museum dedicated to the work of naïve artists of the 20th century. The museum holdings consist of over 1,850 works of art: paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, mainly by Croatians but also by other well-known international artists in the genre.

The Museum organises special themed exhibits focusing on individual artists, or to highlight specific aspects of naive art.

From time to time, the museum organizes topics and retrospective exhibitions by naïve artists, expert meetings and educational workshops and playrooms.

The museum is located on the first floor of the 18th-century Raffay Palace, 350 square meters in size.

Opening hours: Monday – Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm; Sunday: 10 am - 1 pm

The Archaeological Museum of Zagreb relates history from the Roman period and some anterior periods through artifacts and documents. The Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, Croatia is an archaeological museum with over 450,000 varied artifacts and monuments, gathered from various sources. Among the exhibits there are also skeletons of animal species from different eras. The museum has a large library that recounts the history of Croatia preserved in books and other related documents. Some of the famous artifacts include the Liber Linteus, mummy and bandages with the longest Etruscan inscription in the world and he Lumbarda Psephisma, a stone inscription telling about the founding of an ancient Greek colony on the island of Korčula. The most important collection of the museum, however, is that of Egypt.

Why You Should Visit: The museum has an excellent collection of Roman and Egyptian artifacts. Make sure to check out the world-famous 'Zagreb Mummy'.

Tips: Stop by the café in the garden so you can sip coffee while being surrounded by Roman monuments. :)

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 10am - 6pm; Thursday: 10am - 8pm; Sunday: 10am - 1pm

The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters is a fine art museum exhibiting the collection donated to the city by Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer in 1884.

The Strossmayer Gallery holding includes around 4,000 works, of which some 250 are on display, with the remainder in storage, or on display at other museums or gallery institutions in Croatia.

The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters opened in November 1884, named after its founder, Josip Juraj Strossmayer, The Strossmayer Gallery exhibits the works of European painters from 14th-19th century. The holdings have been classified into three major groups: Italian, French and Northern European (German, Flemish, and Dutch) works, and also some works by Croatian artists.

The Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb was founded in 1919 by Salamon Berger and it lives up to its name as it relates the ethnographic history of Croatia presented in costumes, local ornaments, musical and other instruments specific of this country. In a way, the museum acts as a keeper of national traditions, as well as educates foreigners about Croatian culture. It holds vast collections of photos, documents, and books related to the subject.

The Mimara Museum is an art museum housing the collection by Wiltrud and Ante Topić Mimara. Its full official name is the "Art Collection of Ante and Wiltrud Topić Mimara".

Of the total of 3,700 varied works of art, more than 1,500 exhibits constitute permanent holdings, dating from the prehistoric period up to the 20th century. Some of the most famous exhibits include works by Lorenzetti, Raffaello, Giorgione and others. The museum was opened in 1987. The building itself originates from the 19th century, overseen by a Zagreb architect Kuno Waidmann, and it served as a gymnasium.