List of exhibitions

Figures of Memory

25.05.2015-04.05.2021

The exhibition Figures of Memory, which was opened in the Hose of Flowers, on May 25, 2015, has been seen by 203,824 visitors, who were introduced to the idea of a mechanism of collective memory. Interpreting the rituals from the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), which held on until today, as well as the position that written word, items and objects in the scope of today’s Museum of Yugoslavia had in them the exhibition continues to explore how different social groups create and maintain the memory of Yugoslavia and Tito.

Besides the already exhibited relay batons of various donors – the pioneers, youth, members of many guilds and associations, farmers, citizens of different towns and villages, business collectives, veterans, military; a special segment of the exhibition is dedicated to the celebration of 60 years since the first celebration of the Day of Youth and the first relay race in 1957.

This relay baton is especially distinguished and visitors have the opportunity to read the message it conveys, to define the trajectory of its carrying and to look at archival photos and video footage of the relay race run and the mass games, held on the occasion of the first Day of Youth at the JNA stadium.

The first relay baton from 1957

The exhibition Figures of Memory in the second part shows a traveling residency, or the Blue Train, as an image of the time which opens the possibility of a new history reading, where travelling is recognized as an autonomous mechanism (driving force) of social change. Tito’s travels were linked to the time that was not the epoch of war, but of frightened peace (the Cold War). In his travels, Tito carried new attitudes among people and communities, and also conducted the original revolution in the history and memory of the world, uniting many peoples in a strong and unified whole where everyone chose their own path and development model. In that sense, as a significant figure of memory, the Blue Train will be displayed through several segments, and the phenomenon of Tito’s Yugoslavia and his travels around the world – from 1947 to 1977 – will be discovered. For the first time, the public will have the opportunity to see the scale model of the dining car, given to Tito by the Manufactory of Railway Vehicles Boris Kidrič from Maribor, in 1964. Through a review of Tito’s diplomacy, which took place in his traveling residency, the foreign statesmen who have met him and toured industrial plants and facilities throughout Yugoslavia, have also been presented. A special segment represents the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Yugoslavia, in 1972; it was her first visit to a socialist country. Besides statesmen, the citizens of Yugoslavia also used to travel by the Blue Train, and each Tito’s trip in this train was accompanied by numerous organized welcomes and send-offs in various places. In this part of the exhibition, visitors will be able to see messages of official delegations, foreign dignitaries, government and party officials, delegations of citizens and associations, shown through memorial books in multimedia form, since 1982.

The interior of the Blue Train: Dining Salon

As before, during the exhibition, The Storeroom Opens will be organized every Saturday in the period from 10.00 to 14.00 hours, which offers visitors the opportunity to become better acquainted with the collection of relay batons, which is now kept in the Museum and counts over 20,000 items. The audience will be able to hear interesting stories about relay batons and their diversity, to take a closer look at them, to pick them up and examine the exhibits.

The authors of the exhibition are Vesna Mikelić, senior curator of the Museum of Yugoslavia, Marija Đorgović, curator of the Museum of Yugoslavia and Radovan Cukić, curator of the Museum of Yugoslavia. Collaborators on the realization of the exhibition are Vesna Pavlović and Ada Vlajić, curators of the Museum of Yugoslavia, while the authors of the display are Dragana Marković, architect, and Mane Radmanović, graphic designer.

Autor: Dragana Marković

Autor: Marko Risović

Autor: Mane Radmanović

Autor: Mane Radmanović

The Origins: The Background for Understanding the Museum of Yugoslavia

Creation of a European type of museum was affected by a number of practices and concepts of collecting, storing and usage of items.

New Mappings of Europe

Museum Laboratory

Starting from the Museum collection as the main source for researching social phenomena and historical moments important for understanding the experience of life in Yugoslavia, the exhibition examines the Yugoslav heritage and the institution of the Museum

A BRIEF FAMILY HISTORY