Istrian district founded Ethnographic museum of Istria in 1962. It is located on the medevial castle.
Museum systematically collects, preserves, treats and presents artefacts that are in conection with life of people in Istrian peninsula.
Our research themes are everyday life, clothing, rural farming, children games, music, beliefs, habitation, folklore, multicultural interweaving, modern cultural phenomenon…
Working hours:Tuesday – Sunday: 10 – 18 Monday closed.
Ticket prices:Adults: 25,00 knStudents,pensioners: 18,00 knGroups -children, pensioners (minimun 10 person) 15,00 kn
Expert guidance: 100,00 kn for the group (max 25 person)
Need to be announced five days earlier.
Unfortunately, because we do not have special entrance for the disabled people, visit for the persons in wheel chairs is not possible.
The first mention of the castle is in 983. in the document by which Otton II confirmed donation of land to Poreč bishop. In the middle of XII century castle was donated to Meihard. In the end of the XII century, through marriage, castle is in hands of counts of Gorica until 1373. when the Habsburg family took possession of the castle through inheritance.
The fort was badly damaged in the war with Venice (1508-1516), and in 1533. is in hands of A. Masconi who improved housing and defence conditions. In 1639. the second floor also known as the Hall of the Knights was built in the St. Wirgin Mary chapel with wooden altar.
The Italian family Montecuccoli from Modena bought principality of Pazin in 1766. and kept it until 1945.
Besides defence function, in its long history, the castle was also the centre of the government and it was used for living and for public purposes. For a period of time, it was a prison, and during war times, it was a place for locals to hid.
After World War II, the castle has served as museum-exhibition hall. And in 1962. the castle became site of the Ethnographic Museum of Istria.
The museum contains holdings of 7500 ethnographic artefacts of textile, agricultural tools and objects of everyday life in Istrian villages from the end of the XIX and beginning of the XX century (pottery, carpentery, blacksmith objects and objects of traditional handicrafts). There is also a large collection of souvenirs.
In the ground floor of the castle, is where the carpenters and blacksmiths workshop is. You can see different tools, blacksmiths furnace and many objects in blacksmith workshop.
On the second floor there are, besides rooms with permanent exhibition, room for the periodical exhibitions. The permanent exhibition offers a look at the Croatian traditional clothes of the all regions of Istria and traditional clothes from city of Peroj (traditional clothes of people that came from Crmnička Nahija in Montenegro) and city of Vodnjan (Italian women traditional clothes). You can also see traditional cuisine with fireplace, inventory and dishes, objects of traditional farmng with agricultural tools and objects connected with production of vine and oil in Istria.
Our goal in future is to methodically collect ethnographic artefacts from rural and urban environments. We are also interested in modern cultural phenomenon. Our research themes are everyday life, clothing, rural farming, children games, music, traditional food, believes, habitation, oral history, multiculturalism…
Cooperation
There is good cooperation between museum and educational institutions. Kindergartens and schools often include visits to museums in their schedules, and allays are interested to be a part of our workshops. That kind of cooperation is valuable for us because we are nurturing future visitors of our and other museums.
We are in close cooperation with other museums, culture centers, associations, and all the individuals that, in any way, need help from our museum.
Contact person: Mirjana Margetić, curator – museum educator
During organization of the project ETNOFILm – Days of ethnographic and documentary film, Rovinj“, from March 30th to April 5th, 2009. Ethnographic Museum of Istria has established very good collaboration with firm Maistra d.d. from Rovinj in providing accommodation for authors and guests of the festival in Hotel “Park”, and the place where the workshop will be held.