SPLIT 2026 · MUSEUM GUIDE
The 7 Best Historical Museums in Split for 2026
Meet us and our priceless heritage through the most popular historical museums in Split for 2026! Step into the living heart of Dalmatia, learn about our turbulent history, customs, and the people who shaped this Mediterranean pearl, and take home memories that you will cherish for a lifetime.
From ancient Roman artifacts and early Croatian inscriptions to traditional costumes and contemporary art — Split’s museum institutions connect millennia of heritage and offer you a unique window into our identity.
In 2026, Split offers an exceptionally rich and modernized cultural program that covers and presents the extensive cultural heritage of this area through seven key historical museums.
Overview: 7 museums in this guide
Split City Museum
Founded / housed in: 15th-century palace
Location: Papalić Street, city centre
Located in the 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance Papalić Palace, designed by Juraj Dalmatinac. In 2026, the museum has come fully to life through its new permanent exhibition “Palace of Life – City of Changes”.
👁 What to See
- ✓The authentic Renaissance courtyard with the oldest Split lapidary
- ✓Ancient weapons and armour
- ✓Historical documents, such as the city statute
- ✓Personal belongings of prominent citizens that testify to Split’s development
Archaeological Museum in Split
Founded / housed in: Founded 1820
Location: Zrinjsko-Frankopanska St.
Founded in 1820, this is the oldest museum in Croatia. It features a beautiful Historicist building with an open-air lapidary and a landscaped garden. In 2026, the museum leads cultural trends with its digitalisation project “From Stone to Click”.
(photos for this museum are available on its own ticket page)
👁 What to See
- ✓An impressive collection of over 150,000 artefacts
- ✓Greek pottery and ancient glass
- ✓Roman sarcophagi from Salona
- ✓Precious coins and early Christian inscriptions
Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments
Founded / housed in: Marjan hill
Location: Marjan promenade
The only museum in the country founded with the sole purpose of researching and preserving the material culture of the early Croats. Located on Marjan hill, in a monumental building with spacious exhibition halls.
👁 What to See
- ✓A rich collection of early medieval wattle (pleter) and figural stone carvings
- ✓Stone inscriptions bearing the names of Croatian rulers (Trpimir, Branimir, Mutimir)
- ✓Early Croatian jewellery and luxury weapons
- ✓Reconstructions of church altar screens
Ethnographic Museum Split
Founded / housed in: Inside Diocletian’s Palace
Location: Behind the Vestibule
Located in the southeastern part of Diocletian’s Palace, right behind the Vestibule — inside the museum itself is the 7th-century church of St. Andrew de Fenestris. The museum is known for successfully drawing parallels between past and present, such as exhibitions comparing historical embroidered wall hangings with modern internet memes.
👁 What to See
- ✓Outstanding collections of traditional costumes from Dalmatia and its hinterland
- ✓Traditional jewellery and antique wooden furniture
- ✓Historical weapons and tools for agriculture and fishing
- ✓Access to the top of the Vestibule with a view over the palace roofs
Treasury of Split Cathedral
Founded / housed in: Skočibučić-Lukaris Palace
Location: Peristyle
Located in the restored Skočibučić-Lukaris Palace on the Peristyle — one of the most valuable church collections in all of Croatia. Its foundations contain the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Cybele.
👁 What to See
- ✓Priceless gold and silver reliquaries
- ✓Relics of saints and martyrs (including St. Domnius/Dujam)
- ✓Historical liturgical vestments and vessels
- ✓A facsimile of the Split Evangeliary — the oldest surviving manuscript book in Croatia (6th c.)
Croatian Maritime Museum Split
Founded / housed in: Gripe Fortress, 17th c.
Location: Gripe Fortress
Housed inside the 17th-century baroque Gripe Fortress. In 2026, it is highly popular for its VR headsets, which allow visitors to virtually dive down to Adriatic shipwrecks and aircraft.
👁 What to See
- ✓Models of merchant and warships
- ✓Old nautical charts and navigational instruments
- ✓The oldest preserved torpedo in the world, from 1866 (invented by Ivan Luppis)
- ✓The massive bow of the historic steamship “Bakar” and old cannons in the courtyard
Museum of Fine Arts
Founded / housed in: Opened 1931
Location: Near the Cornaro rampart
Opened in 1931, it is located in the building of the first city hospital from 1792, near the Cornaro rampart. It offers an indispensable visual and historical overview of the development of aesthetics and society in Split and Dalmatia through the centuries.
👁 What to See
- ✓A collection of over 3,200 artworks
- ✓A precious collection of old icons and masterpieces by Old Masters
- ✓Paintings and sculptures by giants of Croatian art: Vlaho Bukovac, Mato Celestin Medović, Ivan Meštrović, Emanuel Vidović, Ignjat Job
Plan your tour of Split’s heritage
Each of these seven museums tells a different part of Split’s story — from the ancient Diocletian era, through the early Croatian rulers, to 20th and 21st century art. The best way to experience Split is to visit at least a few of them during the same trip.
