Unfortunately, visiting Croatia is not possible, and while we are all waiting to be able to travel again, various organizations are now offering their exhibitions and collections online. By moving the physical activities to a virtual space, they already manage to reach visitors at home and thus bring a touch of Croatia into the living room. Here we list five of the most remarkable virtual exhibitions in Croatia.
Museum of Broken Relationships
There is no question that Zagreb deserves the label 'museum city'. Some 3.6 million different objects are on display, spread across numerous museums throughout the city. This ranges from archaeological finds to collections from Naive Art, from a museum about the 1980s to one about optical illusions. But the most remarkable museum can be found in the Kulmer Palace, in the heart of the city. This is where the Museum of Broken Relationships is located.
What do a 27-year-old wound scab, a rubber pig or an Action Man have in common? Not much, you might think. Yet in the Museum of Broken Relationships they find what they have in common:they all served as a symbol of and a reminder of a broken relationship. This remarkable museum calls for you to share objects that had something to do with your broken relationship with the rest of the world. “Turn your sadness into creativity,” it sounds like. And that results in a nice collection of endearing stories and symbolism.
View the online collection via https://brokenships.com/explore.
FILMAKTIV:Cinema Corona
2020 had to be Rijeka's year. Together with the Irish Galway, the port city forms the European Capital of Culture for 2020. To celebrate the year of culture, Rijeka planned more than 600 events throughout the city. The combination of these festivities and the location in the idyllic Kvarner Bay make Rijeka an absolute top destination.
The leading film school FILMAKTIV is already helping with this by temporarily launching Cinema Corona. The organization from Rijeka makes some of its prestigious documentaries and films available for free on the Vimeo platform, with English subtitles. In this way she brings the cultural festivities into the living room, and keeps the dream of a visit to the festive port city alive.
The videos from the Cinema Corona collection can be found here:https://vimeo.com/channels/coronacinema
The Museum of Apoxyomenos
A visit to the island of Lošinj is hard not to wish for. The southern location in Kvarner Bay ensures sun all year round. The inland area is perfect for hiking or mountain biking. The coasts are ideal for relaxing. In the eastern waters it is even possible to spot dolphins in their protected reserve. Besides its natural beauty, Lošinj is also home to one of the most remarkable museums in Croatia:the Museum of Apoxyomenos.
That museum is entirely devoted to an Ancient Greek statue, which has lain in the murky depths off the coast of the island for about two millennia. It is a unique bronze statue depicting a young athlete. Including the Louvre, the British Museum and the J.P. Getty Museum offered him a place in the collection, but it is in Mali Lošinj that he found his home. There, the bronze statue and the impressive story can be seen in the special museum. If you would like to take a look online, you can do so via https://www.muzejapoksiomena.hr/en/.
Pula Amphitheater
This city on the Istrian south coast has existed for 3,000 years and is therefore one great archaeological treasure of information. It served in Classical Antiquity as an important economic link in the Roman trade routes and grew into the main city in the region. Proof of this is the large amphitheater, which could seat more than 23,000 spectators. Where it used to serve as an arena for gladiator fights, the beautiful location still serves as a concert and festival location.
The underground passages and halls now serve as a museum, explaining the history of Pula and the importance of its location in the Roman Empire. This 3D tool takes you under the amphitheater and shows the exposition of pitchers and amphorae in true Streetview style:http://www.ami-pula.hr/arheoloski/virtualni-muzej/.
Damir Fabijanic – Welcome to Croatia
Bringing Croatia into your living room is done by this artist on the basis of photos. Several of his collections paint an authentic picture of Croatian people, cities, architecture and gastronomy. This earned him international recognition, resulting in exhibitions in Brussels and Strasbourg. Croatia expressed its thanks for its accession to the European Union in 2008 on the basis of his photo series 'Welcome to Croatia'.
Life captured through his lens offers an alternative view of Croatia, which is much more than white beaches on a clear coast. He photographs its inhabitants, farmers, winemakers, chefs and others, trying to capture every aspect of Croatian life. The series 'Deliciously Croatia' makes you completely starve for a plate of delicious local specialties under a summer evening sun. His collections can be found on his website http://fabijanic.com/en/photo/.
