Ethnographic Museum Zagreb: Folk Culture, Textiles & Everyday Life

The Ethnographic Museum is a perfect antidote to generic city tourism. Instead of kings and battles, you get everyday life: clothing, crafts, tools, rituals, and the way different Croatian regions look and feel.

It’s also in the Lower Town, near the Green Horseshoe parks — which makes it easy to build a balanced “culture + walk + coffee” day.

The museum was founded on October 22, 1919, and it’s housed in an Art Nouveau / Secession-era palace on Mažuranić Square. The official museum history highlights architect Alojz Vjekoslav Bastl (Hönigsberg & Deutsch studio) and interior frescoes by Oton Iveković.

• Traditional clothing and textiles (including famous lace traditions).
• Folk art and handicrafts — objects that make the past feel like daily life, not just ‘history.’
• A sense of Croatia’s regional variety (Pannonian, Dinaric, Adriatic cultural zones are often used as an orientation lens).
• Some non-European objects and themes in addition to Croatian material (check current exhibitions).

1. Ethnographic Museum → Mažuranić Square pause → HNK area walk-by → Zrinjevac bench break.
2. Continue the Green Horseshoe loop or finish with a long café stop.

• If you’re doing multiple museums, pair this with something very visual (like contemporary art) so the day doesn’t feel same-y.
• If you’re short on time, focus on the textile/costume highlights — you’ll get the most ‘Croatia’ per minute.
• Check the museum’s official site for current exhibitions, opening hours, and ticket info.