Red History Museum takes visitors through everyday life, culture, industry, design, and social change in Croatia during the socialist period (1945–1991), when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. Through original artefacts, multimedia, personal stories, and interactive content, the museum presents one of the most fascinating periods of modern Croatian history in a contemporary and accessible way.
Alongside its exhibition programme, the museum organises educational events, thematic tours, and collaborations with Croatian and international experts, creating a space for learning, dialogue, and new perspectives on the past.
The museum is located in the Dubrovnik district of Gruž, within the former Carbon and Graphite Products Factory (TUP), an authentic in situ location from the socialist era that itself represents an important part of Dubrovnik’s industrial heritage. The combination of the original factory setting and the contemporary museum display offers visitors a unique immersive experience of life in the former state.
Red History Museum opened in 2019 as a private museum, and since 2022 it has been officially listed in the Croatian Museum Register as the only private museum of its kind in Croatia. The renewed permanent exhibition opened in spring 2026.
Red History Museum takes visitors through everyday life, culture, industry, design, and social change in Croatia during the socialist period (1945–1991), when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. Through original artefacts, multimedia, personal stories, and interactive content, the museum presents one of the most fascinating periods of modern Croatian history in a contemporary and accessible way.
Alongside its exhibition programme, the museum organises educational events, thematic tours, and collaborations with Croatian and international experts, creating a space for learning, dialogue, and new perspectives on the past.
The museum is located in the Dubrovnik district of Gruž, within the former Carbon and Graphite Products Factory (TUP), an authentic in situ location from the socialist era that itself represents an important part of Dubrovnik’s industrial heritage. The combination of the original factory setting and the contemporary museum display offers visitors a unique immersive experience of life in the former state.
Red History Museum opened in 2019 as a private museum, and since 2022 it has been officially listed in the Croatian Museum Register as the only private museum of its kind in Croatia. The renewed permanent exhibition opened in spring 2026.
Croatia’s modern history, or the “short” 20th century, was marked by profound political, socio-economic, and ideological changes through which Croatian society sought national, economic, and cultural affirmation. At the same time, society was shaped by the strong influence of global events, including two hot wars and one Cold War. It was a period of modernisation, industrialisation, and urbanisation, processes that continue to shape the lives of Croatian citizens today.
All these changes and processes unfolded within the Yugoslav community, whose character developed through decades of coexistence among its peoples.
Since the end of the Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995), Croatian society has remained deeply divided regarding its socialist past. These divisions, further intensified by wartime trauma, gradually deepened due to the lack of informed and balanced public discussion about Croatian society within Yugoslavia. The absence of national consensus and the sensitivity of the topic meant that, until the opening of the Red History Museum, Croatia had no specialised museum, public or private, dedicated to presenting the comprehensive history of socialism in the country.
Through authentic artefacts, multimedia, and interactive exhibits, the museum offers a unique experience for exploring and understanding this complex period of Croatian history. The museum encourages dialogue, further research, and learning about the socialist period in order to better understand the development of contemporary Croatian society, bridge divisions rooted in the past, and responsibly build the future.
The museum team actively collaborates with the local community, valuing and collecting rich material and intangible heritage from this period. Through its exhibitions and public programmes, the museum contributes to the development and enrichment of Dubrovnik’s cultural scene outside the historic Old Town. Recognised by both experts and visitors, the museum represents a unique example of the creative and cultural industries in Dubrovnik and throughout Croatia.
What was everyday life like in socialist Croatia? How did workers’ self-management, consumer culture, political control, and rock’n’roll coexist?
Explore the exhibition of the Red History Museum, one of Croatia’s top-rated museums, and discover fragments of an innovative, interactive, and experience-driven museum display that brings the everyday life of the former state to life in a contemporary way.
What was everyday life like in socialist Croatia? How did workers’ self-management, consumer culture, political control, and rock’n’roll coexist?
Explore the exhibition of the Red History Museum, one of Croatia’s top-rated museums, and discover fragments of an innovative, interactive, and experience-driven museum display that brings the everyday life of the former state to life in a contemporary way.
Download official museum logos and photos for press and media use.
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Download official museum logos for press and media use.
All materials are provided for editorial purposes only and must not be altered.
