Mimara Museum, Zagreb

The Mimara Museum, located in Zagreb, is a prominent art institution. Found on Roosevelt Square, this museum showcases the collection of Wiltrud and Ante Topić Mimara, officially titled the Art Collection of Ante and Wiltrud Topić Mimara. The museum resides in a 19th-century neo-Renaissance palace, repurposed as a museum by the Zagreb architect Kuno Waidmann. Originally, the building was a gymnasium.

For over three decades, the Mimara Museum has played a significant role in Zagreb's art, culture, and social spheres. It opened on July 17, 1987, introducing to the public an important art collection amassed by Ante Topić Mimara, a renowned art collector. Mimara's intention was to incorporate his private collection into the national heritage. The artworks, donated to the Croatian nation in 1973 and 1986, are now displayed in the museum named after him.

The museum's permanent exhibit boasts over 3,750 pieces, representing a wide array of materials and techniques from an extensive and varied international art and craft collection. The experience of exploring the three floors of the gallery is often likened to browsing a "three-dimensional art encyclopedia," leaving visitors with a feeling akin to visiting a "mini Louvre."

The ground floor's glass collection traces the evolution of glassmaking from early 2000 B.C. artifacts to late 19th-century pieces, featuring exquisite examples of Venetian and Murano glass traditions. The first floor is devoted to ancient civilizations and European sculptural art and crafts, encompassing items from Mesopotamia, Egypt, ancient Greece, and Rome. The second floor houses paintings by Italian, French, Flemish, Spanish, and Dutch masters from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, alongside a substantial collection of icons.