Museums
Private museums can be institutions, foundations, associations, cooperatives or companies, as well as branches or organizational units of legal entities.
A museum can be founded by citizens of the Republic of Croatia, EU/EEA and third countries.
To establish a museum, the following conditions must be met, or evidence that the museum has:
Fees
None
Competent authority and regulations
Ministry of Culture and Media
Runjaninova 2, 10 000 Zagreb
+385 1 4866 253
pisarnica@min-kulture.hr
Law on Museums (OG 61/18, 98/19, 114/22, 36/24)
Regulations on professional and technical standards for the establishment and determination of the type of museum, its operation, and for the accommodation and preservation of museum materials and documentation (OG 150/23)
Authorization
The decision on the existence of the conditions for the establishment of a museum is issued by the Ministry of Culture and Media, after obtaining the opinion of the Croatian Museum Council.
Deadline for obtaining: 60 days from the date of submission of the request.
Legal remedies
An administrative dispute may be initiated against the decision by filing a lawsuit before the competent administrative court within 30 days from the date of receipt of the decision.
A museum can be founded by citizens of the Republic of Croatia, EU/EEA and third countries.
To establish a museum, the following conditions must be met, or evidence that the museum has:
- museum materials for which the ministry responsible for culture has previously determined the status of a cultural asset or which meet the criteria for determining the status of a cultural asset in accordance with the law governing the protection and preservation of cultural assets
- museum documentation relevant to the type of museum being founded
- premises for carrying out activities
- equipment and means of work and an insurance system for the protection of museum materials and museum documentation
- professional staff ensured, which is confirmed by a written statement
- a museum work and development plan.
Fees
None
Competent authority and regulations
Ministry of Culture and Media
Runjaninova 2, 10 000 Zagreb
+385 1 4866 253
pisarnica@min-kulture.hr
Law on Museums (OG 61/18, 98/19, 114/22, 36/24)
Regulations on professional and technical standards for the establishment and determination of the type of museum, its operation, and for the accommodation and preservation of museum materials and documentation (OG 150/23)
Authorization
The decision on the existence of the conditions for the establishment of a museum is issued by the Ministry of Culture and Media, after obtaining the opinion of the Croatian Museum Council.
Deadline for obtaining: 60 days from the date of submission of the request.
Legal remedies
An administrative dispute may be initiated against the decision by filing a lawsuit before the competent administrative court within 30 days from the date of receipt of the decision.
02/06/2026
