The number of visitors this year in all museum branches compared to the previous two years, when due to the epidemiological situation the Museum of Sarajevo recorded a rapid decline in tourist visits, has increased significantly. If you compare the year 2022 with 2019, statistical indicators show that it is an approximate number, which is about 40 thousand visitors annually, the Press Service of the Museum of Sarajevo told FENA.
Foreign tourists account for slightly more than half of that number, and they mostly come from the neighboring countries of Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, as well as from Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Sweden, France and other countries.
The Museum of Sarajevo is the parent museum institution of the Sarajevo Canton, which creates, organizes and conducts museological, research, exhibition and promotional activities through its five museum branches – Svrzo House, Despić House, Museum of Jews of BiH, Brusa bezistan and Museum Sarajevo 1878-1918.
“Foreign tourists show the greatest interest in the Jewish Museum and the “Sarajevo 1878-1919” Museum, because the Sarajevo assassination in 1914 marked Sarajevo on the world map, as well as the expulsion of Sephardic Jews from Spain, who found refuge in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, then the westernmost urban center of the Ottoman Empire,” stated the Museum of Sarajevo.
Commenting on the achievements, they emphasize that the entire year at the Museum was marked by programmatic and technological innovations, which they introduced. The curators of that institution have prepared several museological steps towards a modern way of communicating with the public. The best example is the thoroughly prepared scientific-research project in cultural anthropology “Civil Culture of Sarajevo”, which has been completely virtualized, so that the exhibition and video recording of unpublished stories about Sarajevo families can be seen through new technology in 3D resolution at the premises of the Jewish Museum and on the Museum’s website at the beginning of next year.
When it comes to organized visits of students to the Museum of Sarajevo, they point out that this institution is open to elementary and high school students both as a place of education, but also as a creative and educational space for various workshops, exhibitions and interactive activities.
The Museum has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the University of Sarajevo, and students have free entry to all branches, and they are also open and responsive to all their student requests in the form of certain questions, information for research work and other requests.
The plan of the Museum of Sarajevo for the next year has been made, but the complete implementation will depend on external and internal factors. From that institution, they consider it important to strengthen the infrastructural facilities and consolidate all personnel potential for the purpose of contributing to the social community.
“We hope that we will be able to staff the necessary positions and thereby stabilize this institution, which is the bearer and guardian of the history, heritage and identity of Sarajevo and its citizens. The plan is versatile and includes thematic work on the collections and the presentation of objects in an unprecedented exhibition format. In cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton and the Cantonal Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage, we will work on the rehabilitation and investment maintenance of the Svrzo and Despić Houses. In the coming year, we will also publish the tenth jubilee issue of our renowned museum magazine “Appendixes for the Study of the History of Sarajevo”,” the Museum underlined.
