‘Red History Museum’ Revisits Life in Socialist Croatia

Far from the historic centre of this popular tourist destination, in Dubrovnik's former Carbon Graphite Products Factory, the recently-opened Red History Museum is Croatia's first interactive exhibit documenting everyday life under Yugoslav socialist rule.

Founded by a team of young local designers, historians, journalists, photographers and archaeologists, the museum's collection includes donations from people all over Croatia who provided various personal items, memorabilia, photographs and stories from their own lives.

One of the founders, Nino Glavinic, told BIRN that the objects on display range "from classic examples of [Yugoslav] furniture, to products that were created in Yugoslavia, to various pieces of literature".

"We are dealing with architecture, design, interiors and foreign politics, music, film and media," Glavinic added.

He said the founders wanted to establish a cultural institution outside central Dubrovnik and its Old Town that attracts hordes of tourists.

"Each [of us] had some personal reason [for getting involved]. For example, our historian liked the idea because the topic of Yugoslavia in Croatia is mainly talked about with certain connotations," he said, explaining that it is rare that "the presentation of the history of Yugoslavia is carried out objectively".

The museum in Dubrovnik is similar to others in European capitals, such as the DDR Museum in Berlin, the Muzeum Czar PRL in Warsaw and the Museum of Communism in Prague, Glavinic continued.

Most of its visitors are delighted with what they see, although a few have voiced ideological objections, he said.

"There was one gentleman, a Yugo-nostalgic, slightly older, a bit more 'left wing', who said that he thought this was organised by...