Official Announcement - Museum / Earthquake / 2020

Earthquakes that hit Zagreb yesterday and made huge destruction to the city did not spare the Croatian History Museum. Hereby we can officially state that none of the employees were hurt. We are thankful for the fast and diligent activity of the Civil Defense, Zagreb Fire Department, Minister of Culture, City Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Zagreb as well as the director and employees of the Croatian Conservation Institute that yesterday inspected the Vojković-Oršić-Kulmer-Rauch Baroque Palace in Matoševa Street no 9. It was established that the Palace has a series of structural damages that significantly ruined the static integrity of the building.

The Vojković-Oršić-Kulmer-Rauch Baroque Palace was built in 1764 and is one of the oldest and biggest baroque palaces in Zagreb. During all of its past it was a home to famous Croatian noble families and became a “temporary” home of the Croatian History Museum in 1959. From now on it is unusable and unsafe for the employees as well as to the whole museum inventory that is kept in it and displayed on temporary exhibitions. The museum objects at the exhibition “Varvaria/ Breberium/ Bribir: Historical Layers Revealed” as well as the ones in storages are not damaged. The one thing that we are all aware of is the fact that because of the condition of the Palace, and after calming of seismic activity and by the instructions of official services, we will have to evacuate and relocate museum objects.

The offices of employees and museum storages in The Meštrović Pavilion (Square of the Victims of Fascism) are not endangered but we are waiting for the professional assessment of officials. 

The Croatian History Museum during its 174 years of activity worked, and is used to adapting to all crisis, and even though it will be closed off for the public until better times, its activities will adapt to the new conditions. The museum will be accessible to the public and its users digitally by official Internet website and social networks.

The protection of human life and health is paramount. Stick to all instructions of official institutions, keep your distance indoors and outdoors, use protection facemasks and regularly maintain hand hygiene! Do not go outside except in case of extreme emergency, help your near and dear ones and give them support.

The Croatian History Museum will endure these trying times, thank you all for the support and we offer our support to all our colleagues in museums impacted by the earthquake! #hangonZagreb #stayathome #allforone #CHMnearyou