Museum of the Lost Tales, Zagreb

In my research to find something to do on a rainy day, many of the museums and art galleries were closed, either because it was Monday or due the still being under repair from the 2020 earthquakes. One museum that came up in my search was The Museum of Lost Tales – a House of Wonders from Croatian Folktales, and it looked right up my alley. Those who know me know that I do enjoy and admire art that is abstract and obscure and this museum definitely offered that.

The Museum of Lost Tales is a unique place where the rich oral heritage of Croatia is presented through the art concept of a transmedia artist – Zdenko Bašić.

In this place, which spreads over two hundred square metres, we got to experience six different rooms, each presenting a different theme. The entire rooms are artworks themselves, with amazing prints lining the walls, stunning “stain glass” windows and many sculpted scenes, puppet miniatures, hidden hidey holes for fairies and interesting miniature scenes. While a touch on the macabre side with many skeletons and dark mythical creatures, the artistry is simply amazing. I loved every inch of it and the experience was designed to allow visitors to become explorers of seen and unseen creatures, becoming a part of the forgotten tales of Croatia.

As their website states:
Sometimes we forget about our ancestors and the wonderful world of oral tales which they spoke of on warm summer nights. The wondrous collection of over hundreds of magical creatures and beings which inhabited their imagination in a time when the world was shared by men and elves.”

Contemporary artist, Zdenko Bašić, designed this exhibition on his illustrations, then designed sets with puppets and miniatures forming a unique art whole which presentes the tales of old by enveloping all senses. 

“We invite you to become part of the live art, experience the senses and adventures. Look for the traces of fairies, footsteps of witches, scales of dragons and smells of bogarts; the pit where water men hide, where Moguts fly and many other creatures reside…”

I thoroughly enjoyed this museum and explored every inch of it, and the fact it had only been open a month, I feel lucky I got to experience it. Thankfully Brad knows me well and was happy to tag along. It was a great way to spend a rainy morning.Leggi altro