The theme of the museum as a mediator in communicating a "difficult" past has emerged as a guiding thought about how great changes in society - democratisation, new communication models, interactiveness and dynamism - change the work of the museum from its very foundations and take on the role of a new model of communication.
Toncika Cukrov of the Museum Documentation Centre (MDC), which initiated the marking of International Museum Day in Croatia back in 1980, explained that this was a theme that has recently proven to be exceptionally important for the entire global museum community.
Events will be held in museums all week, including International Museum Day which is marked on May 18 and the European Museum Night on May 21.
In addition to exhibitions and workshops on this theme which was traditionally chosen by the Paris-based International Council of Museums (ICOM), Croatian museums will organise lectures and tours of places of commemoration with the aim of communicating their "heavy legacy."
The author of this year's visual identity is designer Boris Ljubicic, and partners to the the events include ICOM, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, and the European Museum Forum.
Detailed programmes have been released on MDC's website at www.mdc.hr. Admission to all events is free.