The Museum of Herzegovina Trebinje is located within the walls of the Old Town, on the right bank of the Trebišnjica River. It was established following the idea of the Trebinje poet and diplomat Jovan Dučić in 1935, when the first collection, based on Dučić’s personal collection, was formed. As an institution, the Museum was officially established in 1952. Since 1999, it has served as the central museum institution for the area of Eastern and Old Herzegovina.
In 1988, the Museum was relocated to the building of a former Austro-Hungarian barracks, where it remains today. The Museum occupies approximately 1,500 m2, including 800 m2 of exhibition space. The museum complex comprises an archaeological site with the remains of a medieval palace; the former Austro-Hungarian barracks dating from 1904; two military buildings dating from the 18th century; the military pigeon post station, built around 1890; a clock tower built on the foundations of a medieval bell tower; and the museum courtyard. The complex was protected as a cultural monument in 1951 and, in 2019, was declared a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Museum has Archaeology, History, Art, Ethnology, and Natural History Departments, each represented through a permanent exhibition. The Museum also houses numerous bequests of Herzegovinian artists, as well as the bequest of Jovan Dučić. Its library contains approximately 15,000 books and periodicals covering a wide range of fields in science and the arts. The Museum’s publishing activities include the publication of catalogues, brochures and monographs, as well as the scholarly journal Tribunia, since 1975.
The Museum Gallery, located on the ground floor, hosts temporary exhibitions, book launches, literary evenings, chamber music concerts, professional and academic conferences, and other cultural events. These activities contribute to the Museum’s recognition as an open and accessible cultural institution, offering visitors a diverse range of cultural and educational programmes.
‘Cross-Border Heritage Bridge’ is supported by UNESCO, through the “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs) project, funded by the European Union. The project is focused on fostering dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. Over a 48-month period, the CC4WBs project aims to improve the performance of the cultural and creative sectors in order to enhance skills, knowledge, access to financial aid to increase competitiveness and sustain co-production and circulation of goods and services in the Western Balkans.
