You can get acquainted with the history and culture of the state, the life and traditions of its people, rare ancient artifacts, and modern artworks in the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the oldest museums in the country. The idea of its creation came up in 1850 during the Ottoman rule. But it was implemented only 38 years later by the Austro-Hungarians. The number of museum exhibits was increasing so rapidly that at the beginning of the 20th century, their storage required a more spacious building.
The construction of a new grand project began under the management of the famous Czech architect Karlo Parzik. This building continues to adorn the present-day capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The magnificent monument of architecture of the early 20th century in the style of the Italian Renaissance stands in the heart of Sarajevo. It consists of four symmetrical pavilions representing three sections: archaeology, natural history, and ethnography, as well as an impressive collection of books in the museum's library. Today, the latter contains about 250 thousand books and rare periodicals on archeology and history, botany and zoology, folklore, and ethnology. The Department of Ethnography displays everyday objects of the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the traditional national costumes of the 19th century. The Department of Natural History shows visitors about 2 million unique exhibits. And the archaeological collections cover the period from the Early Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages.
An especially noteworthy item is the six-century Jewish manuscript "Sarajevo Haggadah". This valuable manuscript is made on bleached calfskin and describes the events starting from the creation of the world till the departure of the Jews from Egypt. Its estimated cost is $700 million.
Neither the two world wars nor the Bosnian wars of the 1990s could destroy the priceless heritage of the past, although they damaged the building greatly. Repeatedly perforating the museum's roof, artillery shells destroyed the interior walls and broke glass windows. Fortunately, everything was restored thanks to numerous donations and charity fundraisings in the post-war years.