Welcome to the Museum in Prijepolje, a cultural institution that preserves and promotes this region’s rich historical and cultural heritage. Founded in 1990, our museum is located in the heart of the city, and is an crucial place for anyone who wants to explore the deep and diverse past of the region.
The museum was made on the foundation of the Prijepolje Homeland Collection from 1954, which was managed by Muhamed Čelebić, a Prijepolje art teacher.
The museum studies, and very successfully promotes interesting topics related to history. Here are some important periods that the museum covers:
Archaeological Collection: Visitors can see artifacts that testify life in this area from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. These items include tools, ceramics, weapons, and other objects depicting ancient communities’ development and customs.
Medieval History: The museum offers an insight into the period of medieval Serbia, with a special emphasis on monasteries and religious life of that era. Prijepolje and its surroundings are known for significant religious and cultural monuments, such as the Mileševa Monastery – one of the most significant religious monuments.
Ethnographic Collection: One of the most impressive parts of the museum is the exhibition that characterize the daily life and customs of the local population. Visitors can learn about what traditional homes looked like, what clothing was like, and what traditions and beliefs were part of everyday life.
Documents and photographs: The museum has a rich collection of historical documents and old photographs showing significant events and personalities from Prijepolje’s history. This collection allows a deeper understanding of the city’s social and cultural evolution.
Artwork: The museum’s exhibits include paintings, icons – religious work, and other art objects that are part of the region’s heritage. These exhibits show the influences of different cultural and artistic periods.
Special exhibitions and workshops: The museum regularly organizes thematic exhibitions and educational workshops. These are designed to raise knowledge about specific aspects of history, art, and culture by providing an interactive experience for visitors of all ages.
A brief history of the museum, scientific conferences and notable award
Prijepolje Local National Collection
The museum was founded on the foundation of the Prijepolje National Collection from 1954, which was managed by Muhamed Čelebić, a Prijepolje art teacher.
Founding of the museum
The museum in Prijepolje was founded in 1990. Museum complex collection includes the Museum of Pioneers and Youth of Yugoslavia in Jabuka, near Prijepolje, the Jusufagić House and the Veseličić House.
The museum gains regional museum status
In 1995, it gained regional museum status. This means that the museum is no longer limited to a local role but has gained a broader significance that encompasses a larger geographical area. The status of a regional museum indicates that the museum is important for the preservation and presentation of the cultural and historical heritage of a wider region, not just one city or municipality.
„European Heritage Days“
Based on implemented and highly ranked projects and references, the Museum in Prijepolje is one of the leading museum institutions in Serbia. For this reason, it was entrusted with organizing the central event, „European Heritage Days,“ for 2009.
Scientific gatherings
Chronologically
Ethnological studies in Prijepolje region
Prijepolje and middle Polimlje in the past
Prijepolje and its surroundings – art history
Prijepolje and its surroundings – archaeological research
Cultural identity of Polimlje
Material civilization and spiritual life of Polimlje from the Middle Ages to modern times
Upper Polimlje: previous studies and research problems
Upper Polimlje and Pešter from antiquity to the modern age
Middle Polimlje and Pešter from Antiquity to Modern Times: Social, Economic and Spiritual Life
Stari Vlah in Serbian – Old Vlach (eng), middle and lower Polimlje through time and space
Lower Polimlje – history and tradition
“European Museum of the Year” Award
In the 2012 competition of the European Museum Forum and the Council of Europe, 59 European museums, including Russian and Turkish museums, competed for this largest museum award in Europe and the world.
The decision of the European Museum Forum’s judging panel to award the Museum in Prijepolje a Special Award represents a significant event and great recognition for the Museum in Prijepolje, Serbian museology, and Serbian culture in general. 59 European museums, museums of the Russian Federation, and museums of the Republic of Turkey were in competition.
The competition had strict conditions that required the implementation of major national projects, significant for European museology with significant references, and they implied the completion of extensive competition documentation.
Fifty-nine museums were nominated, including the Museum in Prijepolje.
The Museum in Prijepolje is the first Serbian museum to receive this large and significant award.