The Archaeological Museum in Split is one of the most attractive attractions in the city. The museum was founded in 1820 by the Dalmatian government. It is located in the northern part of the city centre and is the oldest museum not only in Croatia, but also in the whole of Eastern Europe.
The museum's exposition is rich in archaeological finds from prehistoric times, objects from the Greek colony of the Adriatic, and even relics from the early Christian years and the early Middle Ages found in and around the city, including the most interesting finds recovered by archaeologists during the excavations of Naron and Salona.
The building housing the Split Archaeological Museum was designed by Viennese architects. It was built in 1914, but only opened to the public in 1922, after the First World War.
An extensive collection of ancient and medieval coins is on display. The museum also has the richest library on archaeology and history with over 30,000 books. The Archaeological Museum has been publishing its own journal "Bulletin of Archaeology and History of Dalmatia" since 1878.
The best exhibition was held at the museum in 1970 in honour of its 150th anniversary. This exhibition featured stone monuments - sculptures and epitaphs from prehistoric times and the early Middle Ages. The Archaeological Museum now has approximately 150,000 objects of historical significance on display. The museum has the largest collection of precious stones in Croatia. Among other interesting exhibitions of the museum you can see Greek-Hellenistic ceramics, Roman glass, ancient clay lamps, metal objects, bone products, etc.
