Arheoloski Muzej Istre
Carrarina 3
Tel. (052) 218 603
+385 052351300
Official site
Open: Jun- Sep: 8am- 9am daily
Oct- May: 8:30am- 4:30pm Mon- Sat
The Archaeological Museum of Istria (Arheološki muzej Istre, or AMI) in Pula, Croatia, is one of the largest and most significant specialized archaeological museums in the Republic of Croatia. Founded in 1902, it is dedicated to the research, protection, preservation, presentation, and valorization of the archaeological, monumental, and cultural heritage of the Istrian peninsula. Today, it houses a collection of more than 125,000 objects across prehistoric, ancient (Roman), late antique, medieval, early modern, numismatic, and underwater archaeology collections. It serves as a level-2 parent museum for Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties and manages several key monumental sites in Pula and beyond, including the Pula Amphitheater (Arena), the Temple of Augustus, the Temple of Diana, the mosaic “Punishment of Dirce,” the Arch of the Sergii, the Double Gates, the Hercules Gates, and the Basilica of St. Mary Formosa, as well as dislocated collections in the Franciscan Monastery and the archaeological site of Nesactium (Nezakcij).
Early Foundations (19th Century)
The roots of the museum predate
its formal establishment by nearly a century. Stone monuments scattered
across Pula and its surroundings began to be systematically collected in
the early 19th century. In 1802, Marshal Marmont initiated the gathering
of these artifacts, many of which were placed in the Temple of Augustus
on the Forum. This early effort marked the beginning of organized
museology in the city. Throughout the 1800s, unprotected stone, ceramic,
and metal objects from various sites were gradually brought together,
laying the groundwork for a dedicated institution.
Founding and
Early Years (1900–1925)
The decisive impetus for creating a formal
museum came from major archaeological discoveries at nearby Nesactium
(Nezakcij), the ancient capital of the Histri people. Excavations
conducted in 1900–1901 by the Istrian Society for Archaeology and
Homeland History (Società Istriana di Archeologia e Storia Patria)
uncovered numerous stone, ceramic, and metal artifacts. These finds,
combined with the existing city collection of stone monuments, led to
the establishment in 1902 of the Museum of Antiquities (Museo
d’antichità), also known as the City Museum of Pula (Museo Civico della
Città di Pola). Its first headquarters were in a now-demolished building
on St. Stephen’s Rise (near the Arch of the Sergii).
Expansion
into a Provincial Institution (1925–1930)
In 1925, the museum
underwent significant growth through mergers. It incorporated the
National City Collection (stone monuments), the holdings of the Istrian
Society, and the Poreč Provincial Museum (Museo Provinciale). This
elevated it to provincial status as the Royal Museum of Istria (Regio
Museo dell’Istria). The expanded collections required larger premises,
so the former building of the State German Gymnasium—constructed in 1890
on the eastern slope of the central Kaštel hill—was adapted for museum
use. The new facilities opened to the public in 1930, with an
Italian-language guide published at the time. The exhibition remained
largely unchanged (with minor adjustments) until the end of World War
II.
Post-War Reorganization and Challenges (1940s–1960s)
World
War II and its aftermath brought major disruptions. During the
Anglo-American administration of the region, a large portion of the
museum’s artifacts was transferred to Italy. On 15 November 1947, the
institution was renamed the Archaeological Museum of Istria and placed
under the direction of Boris Baćić (who served as director until 1967
and later headed the Prehistoric Archaeology Department until 1978).
Baćić oversaw the reopening of the largely emptied museum in 1949, with
initial modifications to the lapidarium (stone monument display) and the
rearrangement of surviving exhibits.
Systematic recovery efforts
followed. Partial restitution of archaeological material from Italy
occurred in 1961. This influx, combined with ongoing local excavations,
enabled the development of a comprehensive didactic-visual concept for
the entire collection. In 1968, a renovated lapidarium opened in the
ground-floor rooms and corridors. By 1973, dedicated exhibition halls
were inaugurated: the first floor for prehistory, and the second floor
for ancient, late antique, and medieval periods.
Modern Era and
Recent Developments (1970s–Present)
The museum has continued to
expand its holdings through new finds from Istrian sites—prehistoric
caves, hill forts (gradine), necropolises, Roman economic complexes,
buildings, cemeteries, and early Christian/Byzantine sacral objects, as
well as material from the periods of barbarian invasions and Slavic
settlement. It also maintains an active Underwater Archaeology
Collection.
Major infrastructural work resumed in the 21st century.
Adaptation and extension of the main museum building at Carrarina 3
began in 2013 and was completed in 2021. A new permanent exhibition is
currently in preparation. As of the latest available information, the
primary building is closed to visitors due to extensive renovation work,
though the museum continues its research, conservation, educational, and
site-management activities elsewhere. The lapidarium itself has
undergone multiple renovations (1949, 1968, and ongoing updates).
The museum occupies a historic building constructed in 1890 as
the State German High School (an Austrian secondary school),
featuring a brick masonry structure with a distinctive comb-shaped
(E-form) floor plan. It includes a basement, ground floor, two upper
floors, and an attic, with walls built from massive stone blocks for
durability. Situated on the eastern edge of a prehistoric hillfort
and the Roman colony of Pola, the site incorporates ancient elements
like the Roman Double Gate (Twin Gate), which serves as the main
entrance—a remnant of the original Roman town entry. An open-air
lapidarium in the park displays stone monuments, while the adjacent
Small Roman Theater enhances the historical ambiance.
Renovations
by ING-GRAD included extensions on the western side, adding
rectangular wings that match the original levels and feature a flat,
walkable roof accessible from the attic. Archaeological monitoring
during these works uncovered ancient walls, mosaics, amphorae, and
medieval bells from the 14th-15th centuries. Modern additions
emphasize functionality: cascading ramps connect varying floor
heights for seamless visitor flow, and a 327-square-meter LED facade
screen—nearly transparent when off—enables multimedia events with
160-degree visibility. The design prioritizes natural light,
accessibility (though limited for those with disabilities), and
integration with the surrounding park, creating an immersive
environment that bridges ancient ruins with contemporary
presentation.
The Archaeological Museum of Istria (Arheološki muzej Istre, AMI) in
Pula, Croatia, is one of the country’s largest museums, founded in 1902.
It serves as the primary institution for researching, protecting,
preserving, presenting, and valorizing the archaeological, monumental,
and cultural heritage of the Istrian peninsula. Its holdings exceed
125,000 objects, systematically gathered through excavations, donations,
and purchases. The museum acts as a level-2 parent institution for
Istria and neighboring counties.
The main museum building (Carrarina
3) is currently closed for extensive renovation, with collections
temporarily relocated or displayed in partner sites such as the Pula
Amphitheater, the Temple of Augustus, the Franciscan Monastery, and
Nesactium (Nezakcij). Some highlights remain accessible through off-site
exhibitions, lapidaria, and managed monuments. The collections are
organized thematically across six specialized departments that trace
Istria’s history from the deepest prehistory to the early modern era.
Below is an in-depth overview of each collection, drawn from the
museum’s official documentation.
Prehistoric Collection
This
collection covers the Palaeolithic through the Iron Age (roughly 800,000
BC to the Roman conquest). It documents the evolution of prehistoric
communities in Istria, from the earliest human presence to the
indigenous Histri people, using tools, pottery, weapons, jewelry, and
ritual objects.
Key periods and sites: Palaeolithic and
Mesolithic finds come from caves like Šandalja (home to one of Europe’s
oldest human-made tools—a flint chopper ~800,000 years old), Pupićina
Cave, Romuald’s Cave (site of the earliest known figurative Palaeolithic
rock art in Southeastern Europe), Vela Peć, and Vešanska Cave. Neolithic
and Eneolithic material includes Laganiši and other settlements; Bronze
Age hillforts (castellieri) feature prominently at Monkodonja, Vrčin,
and Maklavun. Iron Age evidence centers on major necropolises and
settlements such as Nesactium (Nezakcij—the political and cultural heart
of the Histri), Picugi, Pula, and Kaštel near Buje.
Artifact types:
Flint tools (choppers, barbed arrowheads), ceramics (spiral-decorated
bowls, figurines, imported Attic and Daunian wares), bronze weapons and
vessels (conical helmets, figural situlae), amber and shell jewelry, and
unique stone sculptures.
Standout pieces:
Krušni idol/enigmatic
plaque (Monkodonja, early-middle Bronze Age, 1700–1500 BC).
Fragment
of a spiral-motif ceramic bowl (Laganiši, middle Neolithic, 5500–4900
BC).
Bronze conical helmet of Novilara type (Picugi, late 8th–7th
century BC).
Fragment of a bronze situla with horned-animal
procession (Nezakcij, Iron Age, 7th–3rd century BC).
Amber-bead
necklace (Picugi, Iron Age).
“Double Head” stone sculpture (Nezakcij,
8th–6th century BC) and ten Columbella rustica shell pendants (Pupićina
Cave, early Mesolithic, 10,000–8500 BC).
The collection, first
opened to the public in 1973, highlights cultural contacts with the
Mediterranean (via imported pottery and bronze work) and the symbolic
world of the Histri. It also underscores the museum’s role in protecting
rock-art caves.
Antique (Roman) Collection
This is one of the
richest sections, illustrating Roman rule in Istria from the late 3rd
century BC (conflicts with the Histri and the fall of Nezakcij in 177
BC) through full Romanization under Caesar and Augustus. Pula (Pola) and
Parentium became thriving colonies with forums, temples, theaters, and
the famous amphitheater.
Artifact types: Everyday ceramics,
glass, metal, bone, and glass objects; monumental stone inscriptions,
funerary reliefs, votive and honorary sculptures; architectural
elements; and a vast amphora assemblage (over 2,000 mostly intact
examples from the St. Theodore district in Pula—the largest known
land-based Roman amphora depot in the world, used for drainage in a
luxurious domus, baths, and Hercules sanctuary). Local production from
Fažana and Loron is well-represented alongside empire-wide imports.
Notable highlights:
Marble head of a woman identified as Agrippina
the Younger (Pula, mid-1st century AD).
Black-and-white onyx cameo
depicting Nero (1st century AD).
Multicolored mosaic with tree motif
(Pula, second third of 2nd century AD).
Bronze oil lamp belonging to
the imperial slave accountant Helops (Pula, late 1st century AD).
Bone pyxis with lid (Brtonigla, 2nd century AD).
Amber ring showing a
lion and Hercules (Medulin-Burle, late 1st–early 2nd century AD).
The collection reveals daily life, social structure, ethnic
diversity, urban planning, and imperial influence, with many stone
monuments originating from 19th-century collections in the Temple of
Augustus.
Medieval Collection
Focusing on the Early Christian
to late medieval periods (roughly 4th–15th centuries), this collection
traces the transition from late antiquity through Byzantine, Frankish,
and Venetian influences via church architecture and burial practices.
Key sites: Pula churches and basilicas (St. Mary Formosa, cathedral,
St. John, St. Felicita), Nesactium, Galižana, Dvigrad (St. Sophia),
Bale, Vodnjan, Betiga, and Slavic/Croatian cemeteries around Novigrad,
Motovun, Žminj, and Buje.
Artifact types: Stone sacral architecture
(altar screens, sarcophagi, ciboria, capitals, floor mosaics), jewelry
and costume elements (fibulae, buckles, earrings), ceramics, bone and
glass objects.
Highlights:
Bronze belt buckle and bone comb (7th
century graves).
Pair of bronze fibulae (Pula, 5th–6th century).
Marble capital from Pula cathedral (6th century).
Limestone slab with
paradise gates (Pula, Basilica of St. Mary Formosa, 8th century).
Early Christian reliquaries and mosaics from Pula’s first diocese
are particularly significant, as is the post-WWII lapidarium in the
Franciscan Monastery.
Modern (Early Modern) Collection
Established in 2010 as the first such department in a Croatian
archaeological museum, it covers the 15th–18th centuries and bridges
archaeology with later material culture. Finds come primarily from Pula,
Dvigrad, Vodnjan, Motovun, and Rašpor.
Artifact types: Ceramics,
glass, metal, bone, and stone objects—tableware, kitchenware, stove
tiles, household items, games, coats of arms, architectural elements,
devotional objects, bells, and even a cannon.
Standouts:
Stone
Annunciation sculptures (Virgin Mary and Angel Gabriel, Pula, workshop
of Pietro Lombardo, ~1490).
Bronze church bell of St. Thomas (Pula,
1425).
Glazed tableware from northern Italy and Spain;
Venetian/Murano glass; devotional medals from major pilgrimage sites.
It illustrates economic ties (especially Venetian), daily life, and
cultural continuity in post-medieval Istria.
Numismatic
Collection
Comprising over 7,000 coins and paper notes from pre-Roman
to modern times, this is a key resource for Istria’s monetary and
economic history. It includes Greco-Hellenistic, Celtic, Roman (Republic
to late antiquity—the most numerous), Byzantine, medieval, Venetian, and
later issues. Many pieces have precise provenance from hoards and
excavations.
Major hoards: The Čentur (near Koper) late-antique
bronze coin hoard (over 26,000 coins total; >2,000 held here) is the
largest known in the region.
Highlights: Denarii of Julius Caesar and
Octavian, Ostrogothic siliquae and tremisses of Vitiges, Byzantine
follis of Constantine VII, and Aquileian/Venetian pieces.
Underwater Archaeology Collection
Created in 2015, this department
holds finds recovered from Istrian coastal and submerged sites, spanning
prehistory to the modern era. It emphasizes maritime trade,
shipbuilding, and ports.
Key sites and finds: Roman port at
Fažana (Cape Mede—amphorae and tableware, 1st–2nd century AD); shipwreck
at Cape Savudrija (1st-century BC wine amphorae cargo); submerged Roman
villa at Pomer; prehistoric pile dwellings and the oldest sewn-plank
boat in the Mediterranean (Bronze Age, Zambratija Bay); two Roman sewn
boats in Pula; Roman salt pans at Bijeca Bay (Medulin).
Artifacts:
Ceramics (cups, pitchers), wood (boxes, combs, pulleys, ship parts), and
other organic materials that rarely survive on land.
The
collection underscores Istria’s long seafaring tradition and advanced
ancient shipbuilding techniques.
As Croatia's most visited museum, attracting around 600,000 visitors
annually, the AMI plays a pivotal role in safeguarding Istria's identity
as a crossroads of civilizations—from Illyrian tribes to Roman colonists
and Slavic settlers. It fosters education through programs for all ages,
supports ongoing research at sites like Dvigrad, and contributes to
Pula's UNESCO-nominated historic ensemble by managing key monuments. Its
emphasis on sustainable preservation and global collaborations
underscores its cultural importance in the Adriatic region.
For
visitors, the museum is at Carrarina ul. 3, 52100 Pula, near the Twin
Gate and Zerostrasse entrance; parking details are available online.
While the main building is closed for renovation (expected reopening
post-2021, check updates), dislocated sites operate normally. Hours vary
seasonally—year-round access with extended summer slots; consult the
website for specifics on AMI, Arena, and Temple of Augustus. Tickets are
affordably priced (exact fees via schedule); free entry during events
like Museum Night. Professional guided tours must be booked in advance;
photography requires permission. Contact: +385 (0)52 351 300,
info@ami-pula.hr, www.ami-pula.hr. Accessibility is limited for those
with disabilities; virtual tours offer alternatives. Pair visits with
nearby sites for a comprehensive Pula experience.