STORY: As Croatia approaches the 30th anniversary in August of the end of its war for independence, a museum in Dubrovnik is offering visitors a glimpse into the country's life under communism.

The Communism Museum showcases over 1,300 items from the era in a series of recreated domestic settings.

Museum curator Ivan Lujo told Reuters the exhibition received mostly positive reactions, especially from older generations who felt nostalgic.

Leisel Griffiths, a tourist from New Zealand, said: "Coming here and sort of seeing the other, you know, the history does exist, it's fascinating."

While Zhilin Wu, a visitor from China, noted: "You can see a lot of similarity between the history in Croatia and in China."

The museum continues to expand its collection through donations from local residents, preserving memories.

Hrvoje Kukuljica, who recently invited museum staff to take items from his sister's apartment, said: "Everything is actually interesting, you remember it, because we all had them at home once."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: DUBROVNIK, CROATIA (JULY 10, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO COMMUNISM MUSEUM

2. KITCHEN TABLE IN MUSEUM

3. VARIOUS OF WOMAN LOOKING AT KITCHEN IN MUSEUM

4. VARIOUS OF ITEMS IN KITCHEN

5. LIVING ROOM WITH COMMUNIST ERA FURNITURE

6. VISITORS LOOKING AT ITEMS FEATURED IN LIVING ROOM

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) MUSEUM CURATOR, IVAN LUJO, SAYING:

“Domestic visitors during the last 6 years that we have been working are also very satisfied. Of course, most of the reactions are positive, with the older generations, there is definitely a touch of nostalgia. And I would say that there are also negative reactions, but they are much, much smaller than positive reactions. Our work is also recognised by the local population, who often call us to make donations of objects, stories, souvenir photos, and the museum naturally enriches its fund with new exhibits every day.”

8. RADIO AND GRAMOPHONE

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) MUSEUM CURATOR, IVAN LUJO, SAYING:

"We have over 2,500 items registered in the inventory books, and the exhibition itself contains around 1,300 items.”

10. GRAMOPHONE

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) MUSEUM CURATOR, IVAN LUJO, SAYING:

"This is one of the most valuable exhibits we have in our permanent display, and it is a basketball signed by Drazen Petrovic and the team from Portland from the 89'-90' season. Which many visitors, especially Americans, find particularly interesting.”

12. BASKETBALL BALL

13. WOMAN STANDING NEXT TO RECORDS

14. WOMAN LISTENING TO MUSIC

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VISITOR FROM NEW ZEALAND, LEISEL GRIFFITHS, SAYING:

"I think what this museum gives is a real balance to Dubrovnik because yesterday we did all of the walking tours and learned a lot about how history's kind of been rewritten in Croatia, and you know those decades of communism have sort of been pushed aside and they've removed statues and references to Tito. But coming here and sort of seeing the other, you know, the history does exist, it's fascinating."

16. VARIOUS OF VISITORS VIEWING COMMUNIST ERA BEDROOM AT MUSEUM

17. SEWING MACHINE

18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VISITOR FROM CHINA, ZHILIN WU, SAYING:

"And definitely you can see a lot of similarity between the history in Croatia and in China. For example, the five-year plan, we also have a lot about that, and also can see, for example, the data about how the education and women's rights were raised during the communism times."

19. BEDROOM AT MUSEUM

20. VARIOUS OF DARK ROOM AT MUSEUM

21. VARIOUS OF VISITORS LOOKING AT YUGO CAR

22. VARIOUS OF BUST STATUE OF JOSIP BROZ TITO

23. OWNER AND MUSEUM CURATOR WALKING WITH LOCAL MAN WHO WANTS TO DONATE ITEMS TO MUSEUM

24. OWNER AND MUSEUM CURATOR CHECKING LOCAL RESIDENT, HRVOJE KUKULJICA'S KITCHEN

25. (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) LOCAL RESIDENT, HRVOJE KUKULJICA, SAYING:

"The apartment is from my sister who recently bought it and we are in the process of emptying it. There are a lot of interesting old things from the time in the museum, so we invited them (people working at the communism museum) if they are interested to take everything they need before we empty it.”

26. KUKULJICA SHOWING TYPEWRITER

27. (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) LOCAL RESIDENT, HRVOJE KUKULJICA, SAYING:

"I found the old chandeliers, lamps, typewriters, sewing machines, old furniture interesting. Everything is actually interesting, you remember it, because we all had them at home once.”

28. OWNER AND MUSEUM CURATOR LOOKING AT ITEMS

29. BED AT BEDROOM