Cultural Centre Bar - Homeland Museum

Zavičajni muzej Bar

The Homeland Museum of Bar was established in 1959. It is located at the seafront, in the part of town called Topolica. It is housed in the King Nikola’s Residence, built in 1885 following the design of Dr Josip Slade of Trogir. It was used as a summer residence for the ruler’s family of the Petrović Njegoš dynasty. It was designed in an eclectic manner, with some elements of historic styles. This building makes part of a court complex also including: the little residence, the court chapel, the winter garden, sentry towers and a park with diverse and rare tree species. By its architecture, the little residence resembles villas built around the lakes in Northern Italy.

The winter garden has a glassed metal construction with decorations in the secession style, while the court chapel was built of waved metal plates with columns. The whole complex is an important historic and architectural unit blending well with the surroundings.

Since 1976 the Museum has been operating within the Cultural Centre of Bar. It was established as an institution of complex type with departments for archaeology, history, history of arts, ethnology and natural history. Other units within the Museum are also a conservation laboratory, a professional library and a hall for occasional thematic exhibitions.

The holdings of the Bar museum include several collections. The oldest items are kept within the Archaeology Department with the collections of items from pre-history, ancient era, middle ages and a small, but highly valuable numismatic collection. Visitors are particularly interested in the items from graves of the Mijele site, in the vicinity of Virpazar, a capital from the triconch of Bar, the fragments of a mosaic from the St. Teodor’s church and underwater findings.

The Historic Department holds items related to the political, cultural and military history of the town. The displayed items include valuable pieces of craft weapons, decorations, archive items, old photographs and a considerable collection from the People’s Liberation Struggle.

The Ethnological Department holds several collections referring to the rich and diverse tangible and intangible heritage of the local population. The ethnographic material is classified according to the specific features into national costumes, economy, household items, ornaments, items linked to the culture and customs.

The History of Arts Department holds collections of paintings, drawings and graphics (mostly by local authors), then a smaller collection of icons and applied arts items, mostly being the authentic items from King Nikola’s Residence.

The Natural History Department holds a palaeontologic and mineralpetrographic collection.

Current display of the Museum was opened in 1999, designed in such a manner to present chronologically the continuing development and specific features of tangible and intangible heritage of Bar.

The displayed museum items cover diverse periods: pre-history, ancient era, Middle Ages, the period of Turkish dominance and the reign of King Nikola.

Source