Tucked behind the old city walls at Ilica 26, the Museum of Lost Tales isn’t just a museum – it’s a house of wonders, a magical sanctuary of mythical beings drawn from Croatia’s rich oral heritage. This one-of-a-kind space in the European context brings to life the forgotten world of Slavic folklore through the transmedia artistry of Zdenko Bašić.

Spread across over 200 square metres, the museum invites visitors to step into seven thematic rooms, each acting as a portal to a different dimension. From the ancient realms of Slavic mythology to whispering attics, haunted wells, faery forests and watery depths – each room tells a forgotten story. Here, witches, water spirits, shadow-beings and other creatures from the edge of dreams and reality come to life.
The stories originate mainly from northwest Croatia – from the slopes of Medvednica and the valleys of Turopolje and Posavina – echoing the tales once told to Zdenko by his grandmothers. Over time, the museum’s storytelling map expanded to Istria, Kvarner, Dalmatia and the Velebit region, weaving an imaginary atlas of Croatia’s near-forgotten mythical worlds.
All exhibits – handcrafted puppets, costumes, miniatures and sculptures – are made from wood, plaster, fabric, metal and found objects. The result is a dreamlike atmosphere where stories aren’t just seen or read – they are experienced.
 

For those who wish to dive deeper, special storytelling tours are available with Purgerica (Josipa Šiklić) or with the creator himself, Zdenko Bašić. These 60-minute experiences leave a lasting impression, as do the costumed storytelling sessions for both adults and children, where you might just be guided by a faery or a creature from the mists of myth.
Prefer to wander on your own? Pick up the audio guide at the entrance, available in Croatian, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Ukrainian, and choose your own story path.
In a world of growing noise, the Museum of Lost Tales invites you to pause and listen to what the quiet beings from the shadows still whisper. They ask for little – just a moment of your time – to be remembered again, and never forgotten.