ZAGREB, 27 Jan (Hina) – Prime Minister Andrej Plenković officially opened the first permanent exhibition of the Croatian Sports Museum on Tuesday at its new home at Ilica 13 in central Zagreb.

The fully renovated, two-storey museum spans over 500 square metres and features two thematic sections: “Foundation”, covering the development of sport and physical education from the late 19th century, and “Achievements”, showcasing Croatian athletes’ successes at the Olympics and world championships since independence.

Plenković praised the museum as a celebration of Croatia’s sporting tradition and its internationally recognised athletes. He thanked director Danira BiliД‡ and her team and highlighted the government’s increased investment in sport, from €26 million at the start of its term to nearly  €200 million today, stressing continued support for youth participation.

Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković noted that the museum fills a long-standing gap in Zagreb, emphasising sport’s role in shaping national identity and teaching discipline and perseverance. Minister of Culture Nina Obuljen Koržinek said the museum underlines sport’s social and cultural importance, while Croatian Olympic Committee President Zlatko Mateša described it as modern, interactive and appealing to younger generations.

The museum’s collection holds nearly 500,000 items, and the permanent collection features around 1,000 objects, including books, documents and approximately 500 photographs, as well as medals, trophies, equipment and multimedia displays, offering a chronological account of sport in Croatia from the late 19th century to the present day.