The city of Split hides many interesting museums and galleries, and pretty much all of them are worth visiting, but in order to save you precious time, we have curated the top museums and galleries for you to visit in Split, featuring all kinds of collections and even experiences.
Ivan Meštrović Gallery (Croatian: Galerija Meštrović) is an art museum featuring works by the famous 20th-century sculptor Ivan Meštrović. The 132 artworks from his family’s archives are displayed in his former residence and studio, which was built between 1931 and 1939 and was converted into a museum in 1952.
The gallery contains many works of art made out of marble, bronze, wood, and gypsum. Artworks cover the period from 1918 all the way to 1946—all the periods of Meštrović’s rich creativity.
Besides the sculptures, paintings, drawings, wardrobe, and architectural plans, the Meštrović Gallery also holds many documents relating to the opus and private life of the author. These documents include photos of his first artworks, the family archives, his personal documents, and even letters to his family and friends.
Other than within the gallery, you can also see a work of art by Ivan Meštrović in Split: the statue of Gregory of Nin, which is located next to the Golden Gate of Dioceltian’s Palace.
The Museum of Fine Arts in Split (Croatian: Galerija umjetnina) was opened in 1931. The museum collection holds over 5,200 works of art that cover a time period from the 14th century to the present day, exhibited in a space of about 2200 m2.
The collection reflects the influences and cultural standards of the states that ruled over the region during the past decades: the Venetian Republic, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia, and the present-day Republic of Croatia. Besides the permanent collection, the Museum of Fine Arts also holds many temporary exhibitions featuring local as well as international artists.
Diocletians Dream is a virtual reality experience that lets you see Diocletian’s Palace as it used to look in 305 AD, the Roman era when the emperor retired to live in it. This VR museum offers a very unique and visual way of taking a tour around the palace while also taking a trip back in time.
In a 15-minute animated virtual reality film, one of Diocletian’s slaves (Severin) takes you on a tour of the palace streets and squares, the royal chambers, and much more. During the tour, Severin will present you with many fascinating facts about the emperor, his life, and his reign as one of the most powerful emperors Rome has even seen.
The Froggyland Museum collection consists of 507 stuffed frogs in 21 scenes that include representations of many everyday situations that humans usually find themselves in. The collection is a work of art by Ferenc Mere, who often saw people in frogs and thus created this collection between 1910 and 1920.
The frogs have been stuffed using a very demanding taxidermy technique that includes stuffing through the mouth, and the collection size is very impressive compared to other collections made by other masters of taxidermy.
The Treasury Of Split Cathedral (Croatian: Riznica splitske katedrale) holds many religious artifacts dating as far back as the 8th century A.D. The collection includes silver reliquaries from the Cathedral of Saint Dominus from the 12th and 14th centuries, as well as several Gothic crucifixes and chalices.
The treasury also holds many paintings, books, and even original manuscripts from the Middle Ages, including Croatia’s oldest Evangelist manuscript from the 8th century.
The Treasury Of Split Cathedral is located on the Peristyle, just across the Cathedral itself. When buying the tickets, note that all-in-one tickets for the entire Cathedral complex are available (The cathedral, the bell tower, and the treasury).
Split City Museum (Croatian: Muzej grada Splita) is situated in the gothic-renaissance Papalić Palace, dating back to the 15th century. The complex also includes a private courtyard. The museum itself was founded in 1946 and spreads across three floors of the palace. The Papalić Palace itself is located inside Diocletian’s Palace.
The museum actively researches, acquires, archives, and exhibits the history of Split and everything related to it in order to tell the whole story of the history of Split through exhibited items and audio materials. The Emanuel Vidovic Gallery is also located inside the Split City Museum.
The Emanuel Vidovic Gallery (Croatian: Galerija Emanuel Vidović) is dedicated to the life and work of the famous painter Emanuel Vidovic. It opened in 2006. Vidović was born in Split in 1870 and, until his death in 1953, dedicated a huge part of his life and artwork to the artistic and cultural scene of Split.
The museum collection contains 69 paintings as well as a replica of Vidović’s last painter’s studio, containing original furniture and items. A special area in the gallery is dedicated to his drawings of Split. The gallery also contains caricatures, posters, and photos of the life and work of the author. The gallery is located inside Split City Museum.
The Croatian Maritime Museum (Croatian: Hrvatski pomorski muzej) was founded in 1997, and it features collections from the Maritime Museum, the Military Maritime Museum, and several other maritime heritage collections, including marine archaeological finds. It is situated within the Gripe Fortress; the fortress itself dates back to the 17th century.
The museum also actively researches, acquires, archives, and exhibits artifacts and documents relating to the maritime heritage of the Adriatic coast from all ages. The interior exhibition is split into two sections: maritime and military, while some bigger items (mostly vessels) are exhibited outdoors.
Within the maritime part of the Croatian Maritime Museum, you will find many ship models and full-size ships and boats, submarines and models, torpedoes, as well as many items related to the sea and sailing. The military section features many guns and war uniforms, as well as other items related to warfare.
Split Nomad Gallery is a pop-up art gallery that promotes local artists. It is a unique opportunity to see a different set of artworks every week, buy artworks from local artists, and often even meet them in person. The exhibitions are usually hosted by Academia Club Ghetto, providing a very relaxed atmosphere.
The Old Split Town Hall (Croatian: Stara gradska vijećnica) was built in 1443 as the city started growing and kept expanding outside the palace. It was built in Gothic style and later rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in 1890, retaining the triple arcade.
During the Middle ages, it was the seat of government in Split. Between 1910 and 2005, it housed the ethnographic museum, but today the old town hall hosts exhibitions of works of art by the city’s painters as well as many events.
The Old Town Hall is located on the Pjaca square (Narodni trg), right next to the Iron Gate of the Palace and the City Clock. It’s surrounded by many palaces belonging to noble families that used to live on the square around it.
The Ethnographic Museum in Split (Croatian: Etnografski muzej Split) contains a very rich ethnographic collection, including traditional costumes, weaving, jewelry, woodwork, weapons, and even the salt industry in Croatia.
The museum building is located where the emperor’s residence in the Diocletian’s Palace used to be, so in addition to the ethnographic exhibits, you can also climb up the stairs to the terrace at the top of the Vestibule to get a great view of the palace.
The Game of Thrones Museum in Split is filled with props from the famous HBO series as well as images of scenes from the show. Diocletian’s Palace was one of the filming locations for the city of Meereen in the show.
The museum is located inside the palace and lets you experience the world of the seven kingdoms by getting up close and personal with real-life-sized props of characters, costumes, weapons, scale models of locations from the show, and much more.
Jaman Art Center and Gallery present the artworks of academic painter Danijel Jaman, a famous academic painter from Split. The gallery showcases the author’s unique 3D paintings with pop-art features and vivid colors.
The gallery features guided tours for visitors, so you can learn the meaning behind each and every painting exhibited. Jaman Art is also very popular as an alternative form of souvenir shop, as you can buy smartphone cases, prints, and canvas art featuring photos from the gallery.
