For the last 16 years Night of the Museums is one of the most popular events in Croatia, but also elsewhere. And just like most of other events, this year it changed. Instead of touring museums, meeting people, enjoying special events during the night, the whole thing on January 29 will be virtual, with all those interested staying at their homes. Hopefully, we will have to adjust to new normality only this year.

All museums fans definitely will be disappointed, but let's look on the bright side; this way you can visit museums anywhere, not only in your town or its vicinity. For Croatia, you can visit event's web site, unfortunately and surprisingly only in Croatian. However, we will stay local, and we want to let you know what you can expect from museums in Split. If nothing else, it might be a good push to visit those museums in person some other day. They are all open, but Night of the Museums is just too risky because of number of people attending.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM - The oldest museum in Croatia celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2020, and they offer a virtual tour through its collections. This tour is already available at the Museum's web site, and during the Night of the Museums virtual guide will be the founder of modern Croatian archaeology don Frane Bulić, actually one of curators dressed like him.

GALLERY OF FINE ARTS - This excellent museum offers two virtual events on its Facebook page. The one is Conversation With an Artist, with curator Maja Flajsig interviewing artist Maja Ghaji about her exhibition "Memories Archive", currently on display in the Gallery. Also, they will make a presentation of Another City exhibition, joint project of the Gallery of Fine Arts Split, and Art Gallery Dubrovnik.

CROATIAN MARITIME MUSEUM - During 2020 this museum had big success with an exhibition about the very first regular car ferry line in the Adriatic, launched in 1959 between Crikvenica and island Krk. For the Night of the Museum this museum prepared a video presentation of this exhibition. Its authors Tea Rosić and Ljubomir Radić will host also other people remembering this small revolution in maritime traffic in Croatia.

SPLIT CITY MUSEUM - This establishment prepared also video presentations and virtual tours of its two current exhibitions, Fragments of Imperial Palace in Split and Venetian Fortress In Split. Besides on the event's web, those two videos will be also available at this Museum's web site and Facebook page. For those who still didn't visit those two exhibitions, they are very important for understanding of Diocletian's Palace and Venetian tower close to Riva. Besides those two, during the Night of the Museums this Museum will also prepare audio-visual presentation of Emanuel Vidović Gallery.

MUSEUM OF CROATIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS - This museum prepared one of the most ambitious programs, but mostly for those speaking Croatian. MHAS opened Facebook event page where they will broadcast short films about different researches conducted by the Museum, and three podcasts as part of their ArheoCast series. Maybe the most interesting will be short documentary about medieval church of St Jerome in Marjan forest park, and nearby hermits' caves. Besides that one, you will be able to see films about Museum's collection of coins, archaeological findings on islands Brač and Šolta, Croatian medieval symbols and churches, etc. Podcasts (again, in Croatian only) will cover subjects like medieval sarcophagi, findings in area of Kaštela and visualisations of historic events.

MEŠTROVIĆ GALLERY - Very good program awaits at web site of Meštrović Gallery, too. Visitors will be able to see most of the Gallery's video production which usually accompanies its exhibition. That includes film about Ivan Meštrović compiled from photo and video archives, mostly about artist's works outside of Gallery's permanent collection, especially his public and architecture works. Separate video will take visitors to two important buildings Meštrović designed, family mausoleum in village Otavice, and church of Holly Cross in Split. Other artists' interpretations of Meštrović works will also be shown, as well as current exhibition "Ivan Meštrović and His Loves".

TREASURY OF SPLIT CATHEDRAL - New addition to Night of the Museums is Split cathedral's treasury which recently got its new home on Peristil Square in Diocletian's Palace in Split. Until you get a chance to visit this interesting venue, check out its priceless collection online. Film will also tell a story about the creation of this newest museum in Split.