CITY MUSEUM – Sombor

CITY MUSEUM – Sombor

The cultural climate of the Habsburg Monarchy in the second half of the 19th century had a positive impact on Sombor. Inspired by developed cultural centers and influenced by the intellectual circles of the Bač-Bodrog County, the first attempts at organized museology emerged. The Historical Society of Bač-Bodrog County was founded on May 11, 1883, by a group of intellectuals and enthusiasts who shared the idea of preserving their cultural heritage and leaving a legacy for future generations through both material and spiritual culture.

The Society’s secretary, Dr. Ede Margalič, already the following year, placed an advertisement in the county newspaper seeking donations for a future museum, which would consist of several collections. Within a short time, many items were collected, prompting the board, in January 1885, to approve the publication of a professional journal, the Yearbook. In 1887, the Society received its first dedicated room in the County building. Over time, with state subsidies, regular archaeological excavations began. The library and materials were organized and classified according to their respective departments. The first exhibition was held in 1901 in the premises of the Civic School. In addition to a rich numismatic and archaeological collection, in 1906 the Society incorporated ethnography, reflecting the diverse population of the region.

After World War I, the following collections existed: library – 2,352 books; archaeology – 16,222 items; applied arts – 685 items; ethnographic collection – 1,441 items; and natural history department – 529 items.

The postwar years brought administrative reorganization. Sombor, as a county center, lost its role with the formation of the Danube Banovina, headquartered in Novi Sad. After the dissolution of the Historical Society of Sombor in 1920, its assets were transferred in 1930 to the Historical Society of Novi Sad. Only after the reestablishment of the Historical Society of Sombor, led by Dr. Radivoje Simonović in 1936, were the assets returned and enriched with a valuable donation of Dr. Imre Frej’s collection and Dr. Ede Margalič’s personal library. With the outbreak of World War II, the Society declined and nearly disappeared, and the city assumed responsibility for the museum.

In 1945, the City Museum of Sombor was established in the former house of Julije Lederer, where it remains today, with Milan Konjović appointed as its director. With the legacy of Dr. Imre Frej in 1952, the museum became one of the richest in the fields of numismatics and archaeology, as well as a unique professional library. Following renovations, the museum became accessible to visitors, and the first guide, City Museum of Sombor 1961, was published. The launch of the cultural event Artistic Autumn marked this year as significant. In the following years, the museum’s activities expanded to include the protection of cultural monuments, establishment of a conservation workshop, regular thematic exhibitions, collaboration with domestic and international museums, the opening of the Battle of Batina Memorial Museum, and adaptation and expansion of exhibition space for permanent displays. In recent decades, collection, preservation, research, and exhibition activities have been focused on education and public engagement.

Today, the City Museum of Sombor, with its renovated and organized annex of the Battle of Batina Museum and the newly established Danube Swabians Museum annex, has grown into a cultural institution responsible for museum protection in the areas of Apatin, Odžaci, Kula, and Sombor. The museum is of a complex character, and its permanent exhibition follows a chronological path from the Neolithic period to the contemporary era through departments of archaeology with numismatics, history, ethnology, local heritage, the art department, and a contemporary art gallery. A conservation laboratory was established in 2018, and an educational service in 2019.

The museum currently holds around 40,000 objects, housed in the following collections: archaeological, numismatic, medieval, ethnographic, historical, art history, and contemporary art, which includes the Artistic Autumn collection featuring works by mid-20th-century painters such as Ivan Tabaković, Mića Popović, Vladimir Veličković, and numerous works by artists from Vojvodina. A monograph on the museum, Decades of Museological Activity, was published in 1996.

Opening Hours

Tuesday – Friday: 09:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 09:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Sunday and Monday: Closed

Ticket Prices

Adults: 200 RSD

Students, pupils, and pensioners: 150 RSD

Combined ticket (City Museum and Danube Swabians Museum): 300 RSD

Combined ticket (City Museum, Danube Swabians Museum, and Battle of Batina Museum): 400 RSD

4 Тrg Republike, Sombor
+381 (0)25 412 728
[email protected]
www.gms.rs
facebook.com/gmsombor/

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