The Museum of Yugoslavia is thematically dedicated to the culture of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, and its creator and lifelong president Josip Broz Tito. The museum complex comprises three buildings with a total surface of 5253 m², set in a 3.2-hectare park in the leafy suburb of Dedinje: Museum complex includes three buildings.
Museum "May 25th"
House of Flowers
Old Museum
The May 25 Museum was purpose-built to the preliminary design of architect Mika Janković as a gift from the City of Belgrade to Tito, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. The centre was intended as a repository for preserving and making available the papers, records, collections and other historical materials relating to Tito’s life and work and the history of Yugoslavia. Gifts received by Josip Broz, both at home and abroad, were exhibited, curated, catalogued and studied in this museum until 1982. Its distinguishing feature was the permanent exhibition of batons.
The museum has a collection of more than 75.000 items that illustrate the history of Yugoslavia throughout the 20th century, with the special accent on the life and work of Tito himself. It also keeps an extensive collection of the gifts Tito received during his many visits with foreign dignitaries during his presidency. The exhibits further include works of many world-notable artists like Jan Griggier, Claude Joseph Vernet, Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, including original prints of Los Caprichos by Francisco Goya, Gerbrand van den Eeckhout Giving the Tenth, and many others.
The museum was used for meetings of young people and artists and also presented exhibitions on topical themes from the collection. Visitors to the museum could watch documentaries on the life and work of Josip “Tito” Broz.
After his death on 4 May 1980, Josip Broz Tito was buried in the House of Flowers, set in the museum grounds. The House of Flowers was built in 1975, designed by architect Stjepan Kralj as a winter garden with a total of 902 m2 of work and leisure space for Josip Broz, close to his Residence. It comprises a central flower garden between two parallel utility spaces. Opposite the entrance is an open terrace overlooking Belgrade. In accordance with his wishes, Tito’s body was interred in the central flower garden in 1980.
Conceived and designed by architect Branko Bon, the Old Museum (870.57 m2) was built in 1964-5. It stores and displays a portion of the many gifts presented to Josip Broz on his travels throughout the country and abroad. Items of particular interest are a Tanto sword (this 14th Century item is one of the most valuable in the collection), an 1870 national costume from Prizren (the oldest textile item in the collection) and a stone gusle (a one-stringed folk fiddle) which has been crafted from a single piece of stone.
For almost a decade after the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the entire complex (the tomb and the museums) were closed to the public and the military guards were permanently removed. The complex is now again a major tourist attraction. Many people visit the place as a shrine to "better times", especially on 25 May (Josip Broz Tito's official birth date).
Mika Janković also designed the Palace of Serbia (Savezno izvršno veće 1 or SIV building), Centralni Komitet Building (Building CK now Usce Business Centre), Partizan stadium and Tašmajdan Stadium.
FTF - Cujo The Other Dog STF - Ekabilko