The History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates a major milestone this year – 80 years of existence! Over the decades, it has changed its name several times, but the title Museum of Revolution perhaps best captures its purpose. Despite numerous challenges, including the fact that it has lacked formal legal status and consistent state support for nearly 30 years, even though it safeguards national treasures, the Museum has remained steadfastly faithful to its founding idea – to act revolutionarily.
The History Museum of BiH collects, preserves, researches, exhibits, and promotes the cultural and historical heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It serves as a space for dialogue about the past, for critical reflection, learning, and encounter.
If there is a single word that encompasses the Museum’s eight decades of existence, it is indeed revolutionary. Since its founding in 1945 as the Museum of National Liberation, through its period as the Museum of Revolution, and to its present identity as the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the institution has undergone numerous transformations.
Educational Mission
“What has never changed,” says Elma Hodžić, curator of the Museum, “is our fundamental commitment – to be a space of resistance to forgetting, a place where history is not retold as a finished story, but reexamined, contextualized, and continuously questioned. Changing the name never meant abandoning values, but affirming that they are strong enough to survive shifting political and social circumstances. Today, as we operate alongside six other cultural institutions without a formal founder, legal status, or systematic funding, this ‘revolutionary existence’ has become a necessity rather than a choice,” says Hodžić for Visit BiH magazine.
The word revolution here signifies deep transformation – not just institutional but intellectual. In the museum’s context, it means pushing the boundaries of the traditional: shifting from passive preservation to active community engagement, from closed storage rooms to open dialogue, from linear narratives to layered, contemporary interpretations of history. The History Museum of BiH has become a model of such a museological revolution.
It was the first museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and likely in the wider region, to open its storage collections to the public. This act was not merely a physical opening of space but a symbolic gesture of openness toward the society to which the Museum belongs.
“Through collaboration with the community,” Hodžić continues, “the Museum began to collect items that testify to personal stories. Instead of speaking about people, it began to speak with them. We developed educational programs where exhibits became ‘alive’ – personified. These practices break down the hierarchy between the museum and its audience. It’s a revolution that doesn’t require weapons, but knowledge, empathy, and the courage to treat the museum as a living organism. The Museum lives – a living museum. That is the very motto under which we are marking this important anniversary.”
The Museum houses several permanent exhibitions, the most renowned being Besieged Sarajevo, as well as collections preserving priceless artefacts. But what could be called its masterpiece?
“It’s difficult, almost impossible, to condense such a rich museum story into a single exhibit,” says Hodžić. “If we speak of our most valuable objects, they are not found in monumental displays or grand historical narratives. Our objects are the stories of ordinary people – silent, often forgotten witnesses of great events. As a museum of contemporary history, we show that everyday life, too, becomes history. What seems ordinary today may one day become the key to understanding epochal change. And if we seek the most visually striking artefact, it may well be the Museum building itself. Designed by architects Boris Magaš, Radovan Horvat, and Edo Šmidihen, it stands as a monument of modernism and a witness to time. It endures, both as a building and as an idea.”
Inclusive Celebration
Beyond offering a view into the past, the History Museum also provides a vision for the future. Its spaces are frequently filled with young people, their projects, and children participating in workshops. The Museum has assumed an educational role in society; education is not just an activity but a fundamental part of its mission. Through various programs, it seeks to connect young people with heritage while cultivating analytical thinking and empathy, because understanding the past is not an end in itself but a means to overcoming the challenges of everyday life.
“Of particular importance is our Museum Month – every November, hundreds of children visit, not only to observe exhibits but to interpret them through workshops, discussions, and creative tasks. Our goal is not to transfer ready-made truths but to awaken curiosity and critical thinking. We believe that is the only way for the Museum to truly live and remain relevant for future generations. This year, we continue pushing the boundaries we have set. We hope our 80th anniversary will inspire school visits and renewed engagement with our heritage,” explains Hodžić.
The Museum’s survival largely depends on the dedication of its staff, who have often worked months without pay. Asked how they sustain their enthusiasm despite financial hardship, Hodžić explains:
“The situation in which the History Museum of BiH finds itself is far from easy. For 30 years, we have functioned without legal status or stable funding, relying on the goodwill of political structures. Yet this very uncertainty has awakened in our team a unique kind of enthusiasm and creativity. We find alternative sources of income through partnerships with international organizations, cultural and educational funds, local projects, collaborations with artists, and the development of educational and cultural programs that attract broader audiences. Every engagement beyond the conventional framework represents a new opportunity and a form of resistance. The Museum survives solely thanks to its own work.”
The major anniversary will be marked with new projects, aiming not to be a retrospective but a living, inclusive celebration that connects the Museum’s content with its audience, especially young people, and encourages dialogue on the importance of culture and memory in society.
“This year,” Hodžić concludes, “we want to tell our story in a way that reflects both tradition and modern museum practice. We have prepared a comprehensive year-long online campaign presenting audiences with new, often personal and lesser-known stories about the Museum. In addition, we are preparing a book featuring 80 stories about the Museum, each reflecting a facet of its rich and dynamic history from its founding to today. The highlight of the celebration will be our Museum Month in November, focusing on younger generations. We are also preparing the second part of our project, A Fairy Tale About the Museum Kingdom.”
