New permanent exhibition of the Archaeological Museum of Istria

Creation of the new exhibition

Based on years of work and a series of professional documents, including the architectural project for the building's adaptation, the initial exhibition scenario, and the interpretation plan, the Archaeological Museum of Istria stepped into the final phase of preparing a completely new and contemporary permanent exhibition during 2025 with the creation of the execution project. It is planned to open to the public in late 2026 or early 2027.

The new museological concept was developed in collaboration with curators, educators, conservator-restorers, archaeologists, anthropologists, architects, designers, multimedia specialists, and heritage interpretation experts. The goal was to align new scientific knowledge with the needs of contemporary audiences and the new functional possibilities of the renovated building.

Why a new exhibition?

The museum's last permanent exhibition was completed in 1973. Since then, numerous research projects have been conducted, and important finds have been discovered that could not be included in the exhibition due to the limitations of the old concept. These objects were mainly presented through temporary exhibitions and then stored. With the building's adaptation, completed in 2022, conditions were created for better accessibility, contemporary display of materials, improved working conditions for specialists, and adequate protection of objects. In this sense, a new permanent exhibition emerges as a logical progression in the development of museological and archaeological practice in Istria.

The main goals of the new permanent exhibition are:

To make museum objects and new scientific knowledge accessible to the wider public.
To encourage understanding and experience of local archaeological heritage through an interactive exhibition, multi-layered interpretation, and universal design adapted for diverse visitor groups.
To increase the number and diversity of visitors through various programs, extended interpretation, and connections with remote collections, along with workshops and lectures.
To ensure the preservation of archaeological heritage through integrated management and to foster the sustainable development of the local community.
To improve working conditions for specialists to enable more efficient conservation, restoration, research, and presentation of archaeological material.

Vision: a diffuse museum of Istrian past

The new museological concept is based on the idea of a “diffuse museum”: the permanent exhibition in the museum building is its center, but the story of Istria's past continues at archaeological sites and in partnership with local communities. In this way, heritage is not seen merely as a collection of objects in a display case, but as a network of places, stories, and practices within the space.

Within the building itself, the exhibition follows a chronological thread. Our story begins even before the appearance of the first human in Istria, then traces their oldest footprints at a time when the northern Adriatic Sea was a fertile plain interwoven with rivers. The exhibition will then lead visitors to the first planned settlements, Bronze Age hillforts and Histrian communities, Roman colonization, the Early Christian and medieval periods, all the way to the modern era and the transformation of Pula into an Austro-Hungarian port. The numismatic and underwater archaeology collections permeate all sections, offering an additional “horizontal” perspective; money as a testament to economic flows, and the sea as a space for connections and exchange.

The exhibition is broadly divided into two major narrative sections:

Cultural Landscapes, focusing on the relationship between humans and the environment, from geological past and dinosaur traces, through Paleolithic caves, the Neolithic period and the emergence of a sedentary lifestyle, to Bronze Age hillforts and the Histrian world. The aim is to emphasize how much the natural world influences the shaping of culture.
Clashes of Power as a story of Roman conquest and Romanization, urban development, religious changes, early Christianity, Frankish and Venetian rule, early modern castles and economic activities, and finally about Pula, which transforms from a “city of the dead” into an imperial naval port. With this section, we raise awareness of historical dynamics and their repercussions on contemporary society.

Throughout the entire exhibition, curators explore and interpret local identity, demonstrating how various influences have intertwined in the Istrian region and shaped its layered cultural character.

Accessible and interactive exhibition

The new permanent exhibition is designed according to the principles of universal design. Spaces are adapted for people with reduced mobility, blind and partially sighted individuals, and those with other forms of disabilities. Tactile paths, tactile and reconstructed exhibits, clear signage with high contrast and simple pictograms are provided, as well as multiple text levels, from simple text intended for children and visitors without prior knowledge, to more specialized text for those who wish to learn more.

Interpretation is conveyed through a combination of original objects, museum texts, models and dioramas, illustrations, sound, animations, multimedia guides, and augmented reality. The exhibition will be explorable with audio guides in multiple languages and thematic multimedia guides (e.g., migrations, spirituality and religions, gender roles, climate change) for visitors with specific interests.

Special attention is given to children and young people: “children's corners” with short animations, tasks, and interactive content for independent exploration are planned in each section. The museum also continues to develop a range of educational programs in collaboration with kindergartens, schools, universities, and other educational institutions.

Renovated building – contemporary museum space

With the reconstruction completed in 2022, the building gained a clear functional division: the basement houses storage rooms, workshops, a cafe-bar, and restrooms; the ground floor features an entrance area with a ticket office, info-desk, cloakroom, souvenir shop, educational hall, and conservation-restoration laboratories; the first and second floors contain exhibition spaces and documentation; and the attic houses offices and a coworking zone for specialists. An elevator was installed, ensuring accessibility to all floors, and the courtyard was arranged as a lapidarium with in situ presented archaeological finds.

The museum as a meeting place

The contemporary Archaeological Museum of Istria aims to be more than just a “display case for objects”; it wants to be an open, dynamic space for encounters among specialists, the local community, and visitors from around the world. Through its new permanent exhibition, clearly contextualized and programmatically connected remote collections, and educational and research programs, the Museum strengthens the role of archaeological heritage in the development of a sustainable and resilient community and becomes a reference point for understanding Istria's past.