Location: Croatian Maritime Museum Split (Glagoljaška 18)

Dates: 11 December 2025 – 11 February 2026

When systematic archaeological research of the shipwreck near the islet of Gnalić began in 1967, few could have imagined that this very site would become one of the most valuable windows into the world of the late Renaissance. Over nearly sixty years, the site has remained a focus of continuous interest, work, and dedication by many experts: underwater archaeologists, conservators, restorers, historians, museum professionals, technicians, and collaborators from Croatia and abroad. Thanks to their perseverance, scientific curiosity, and often personal courage, not only has an extraordinary collection of artefacts been recovered from the seabed, but the very story of the ship Gagliana grossa and the world to which it belonged has been preserved.

A new chapter in this story is the development of the Interpretation Centre of the Gnalić shipwreck in Biograd na Moru. A contemporary space is currently being created, one that will present this remarkable heritage to the public in the way it deserves. The Interpretation Centre will offer a thematically and technologically modern presentation of the ship’s equipment and cargo, showcase the development of underwater archaeology, and highlight the Adriatic as a historical maritime route of the Mediterranean. While awaiting the opening of the future Interpretation Centre, the Croatian Maritime Museum Split and the Biograd na Moru Heritage Museum aim to keep the story of the Gnalić shipwreck accessible and visible.

In this spirit, an exhibition will take place in Split in December 2025, curated by Petra Radić and Vinka Klišmanić, accompanied by a new, revised, and expanded edition of the book “The Gnalić Shipwreck: A Mirror of the Renaissance World” by Irene Radić Rossi. This modest contribution serves as a way to provide access to this extraordinary museum collection and a story four and a half centuries old, during a period of museum “silence.”

Exhibition opening: Tuesday, 11 December 2025 at 18:00

Contact: https://hpms.hr/index.php