Erika Trbojević and Marko Šarinić's Istrian Medals and Plaques exhibition opened Friday, 14 November 2025 at the Education Hall of the Archaeological Museum of Istria.
The exhibition presents an overview of the most significant medals and plaques that have marked the rich and layered history of the Istrian peninsula, covering the entire area of Istria, including Kastav, Lovran, and Opatija. The display features 180 medals and plaques that testify to the various social, cultural, and political contexts in which they were created, as well as the development of the medal as a means of recognition, communication, and remembrance.
The exhibited medals can be divided into three basic groups: sacral, sports, military, and commemorative medals. The most numerous and diverse group consists of commemorative medals, created for important social and political events; this includes those of a propagandistic nature, medals of various societies and associations, and memorial medals dedicated to significant persons and occasions. A particularly rich period of medal-making in Istria is associated with the time of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, and later of the Kingdom of Italy, when the medal became a recognizable sign of identity, belonging, and collective memory.
The exhibition is open through to 30 November 2025.
