Founded in 1888, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the oldest western-style cultural and scientific institution in the country. The idea of establishing a museum goes back to the mid-19th century, to a time when Bosnia and Herzegovina was still a part of the Ottoman Empire as the Eyalet of Bosnia. Yet it would take four decades and a change of government for the idea to be realised. In 1878, the Eyalet of Bosnia was occupied by the Austro-Hungarians, who brought with them new political and social goals, customs, and values. These included the furthering of science through research and academic and institutional development. <\/p>\n
As an uncharted Balkan country, Bosnia and Herzegovina piqued the interest of many Austro-Hungarian scholars, but also pseudo-scholars and treasure hunters. As a result, many cultural artefacts were taken out of the country. This sped up the realisation of the idea to establish a museum, which had long been brewing. The Museum Society was established first, then the National Museum itself, on 1 February 1888. The provincial government, as the founder, named government advisor Kosta H\u00f6rmann as the director of the museum.<\/p>\n
The original museum facilities in the town centre soon became inadequate for the growing collection, and so in 1909 construction began for a new museum complex comprising four pavilions and a botanic garden. The facility was completed and inaugurated in 1913. It would long remain the only purpose-built museum complex in the former Yugoslavia. It houses the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina to this day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"