Collections
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Archaeological Collection
The Archaeological Collection comprises prehistoric, ancient and medieval objects from the island of Cres and the Cres-Lošinj waters. The oldest items – ceramic fragments, fibulae, bronze bracelets – date from the Bronze Age. From the pre-Roman period, there are amphorae, kitchen utensils and lead-wood anchor from the hydro-archaeological site of the Pernat II shipwreck. Most items date from the period of the Roman Empire: oil lamps, glass bottles, imperial busts from the Julian – Claudian period, two stelae, and a silver needle and a bone hairpiece. From the early medieval period, there are fragments of ceramic dishes and fragments of stone with interlace ornaments.
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Ethnographic Collection
The Ethnographic Collection comprises various objects that illustrate the customs and the way of life on the island of Cres. The collection includes items of daily use, folk costumes, agricultural and fishing tools, dating from the 18th to the 20th century.
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Numismatic Collection
The Numismatic Collection comprises money from antiquity to the 20th century. The money dates from the period of the Roman Republic, third to second century B.C., to the money of the SFR Yugoslavia. The variety of money saved testifies to the rich history of Cres, its trade links and its various governments. Most coins date to the Roman or Venetian periods.
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Cultural and Historical Collection
The Cultural and Historical Collection comprises objects of applied art, furniture, paintings, musical instruments, weapons, liturgical objects and works of sacred art. The collection is connected with the island of Cres and illustrates the period from the 16th century, when Cres became the centre of the archipelago, until the 20th century.
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Heraldry and Sphragistics Collection
The Heraldry and Sphragistics Collection comprises coats of arms, seals, medals and plaques from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, showing the changes of government on the island and in the city of Cres, as well as the noble families of Cres.
The preserved seals in red seal wax belong to the period of the second Venetian rule, Napoleon’s France and the second Austrian rule. Most coats of arms of the noble families of Cres date from the period of the second Venetian rule: the families Petris, Moise, Della Rovere, Bocchina. There is also and the coat of arms of the town of Cres, carved in stone.
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Postcard Collection
The Postcard Collection comprises the old postcards of the city and the island of Cres. The postcards date from the late 19th to the late 20th century. Most postcards belong to the “golden age” until 1918, and provide an opportunity for people to see what Cres used to look like.
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Collection of Old Books
The Collection of Old Books comprises books originating from the 16th to the beginning of the 20th century. They mostly belong to the legacies of the noble families of Moise, Colombis, Petris or were acquired through donations from Cres citizens and institutions. The books are in Latin, German and Italian.
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Art Collection
The Art Collection comprises paintings, drawings, prints and other works of art. The Collection features several paintings by Andrija Girardi, prints by Krešimir Trumbetaš, and various prints from the 18th and 19th centuries depicting Cres and people in folk costumes.
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Miscellaneous Collection
The Miscellaneous Collection comprises a variety of everyday objects, such as typewriters, gramophones, everyday items marked with coats of arms, flags and the like.
