ZAGREB, 28 Jan (Hina) – The annual Night of Museums will take place on Friday at 287 museums, galleries and heritage institutions in 155 towns and cities across Croatia, as well as at six locations in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This year’s event will have no overarching theme, allowing participants to choose programmes according to their interests.

Around 700 events have been scheduled, including 100 exhibition openings, 95 workshops, about 30 children’s play sessions, as well as lectures, film screenings, music programmes and performances, Vlasta Krklec, president of the Croatian Museum Association, said on Wednesday.

She recalled that Night of Museums was launched in 2005 with just a handful of Zagreb museums and has since grown to nearly 300 participating institutions. About 4.5 million people have attended over the past 20 years, she said, reflecting strong public interest.

Krklec said the event is held in winter because there are fewer museum programmes at that time of year. It traditionally takes place on the last Friday of January, when museums open their doors from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m.

She noted a steady rise in family visits, with children attending alongside parents and grandparents, as well as strong interest from younger visitors who use museums as places to socialise, enjoy themselves and learn.

Krklec said the event has increased the visibility of cultural institutions in recent years and provided important support for museum professionals, particularly in smaller communities.

The national opening of the 21st Night of Museums will be held at the Međimurje Museum in Čakovec, where the central event will be the opening of an exhibition exploring the relationship between heritage and the digital age. The exhibition will feature computers made in Croatia in the 1980s.

In Zagreb, visitors will also be able to visit three newly opened museums: the Croatian Sports Museum, the Museum of Travel and the renovated Meštrović Atelier.