Scholarly literature has always been necessary to aid in the processing and analysis of archaeological finds and research, and the Museum began to acquire it in 1845. This set the foundation for the Museum’s Library, which experienced its golden age during the tenure of Don Frano Bulić as director (1884-1926).
Over the course of almost two centuries, the Library has collected an immense and invaluable body of literature in the fields of archaeology, history and art history, so that today it number approximately 50,000 volumes, including eight incunabula and roughly 170 books from the 16th century. It has special collections of old and rare books, posters and proclamations, maps and graphics, and postcards. The Library’s catalogue was already published in 1898, the first such scholarly and professional library catalogue to be published in Croatia.
The Library’s collection mostly grew thanks to exchanges for the Museum’s journal, Vjesnik za archeologiju i historiju dalmatinsku, formerly Bullettino di archeologia e storia dalmata, and other Museum publications.
The Library also has an archival collection containing materials vital to the history of Dalmatia from the early Middle Ages through the 19th century. It consists of the bequests of Don Frano Bulić, Mihovil Abramić, Luka Jelić, Francesco Carrara, Julije Bajamonti and the Pavlović-Lučić family.
The Library additionally has a collection of paintings that has been gradually compiled since the end of the 19th century. It is primarily held in the Library, and in 2004 it was partially exhibited on the Museum’s ground floor as part of the permanent display.
The Library is open to the public on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Staff: Arsen Duplančić (manager)