Exploring Hvar's Cultural Heritage
While Hvar's beaches and natural beauty often steal the spotlight, the island's museums offer fascinating windows into its rich history and culture. Here's a practical guide to the most family-friendly museum experiences across the island.
Museum Visit Tips for Families:
Museum hours often include afternoon closures, especially in summer—plan accordingly
Many smaller museums operate seasonally or with reduced off-season hours
Combining museum visits with outdoor activities creates balanced days
Most museum staff speak English and appreciate young visitors' questions
Photography is generally permitted without flash, offering educational souvenirs
Consider museum visits during the hottest hours of the day (11:00-16:00) for air-conditioned comfort
Jelsa Museums
Jelsa Municipal Museum (Muzej Općine Jelsa)
Address: Trg Tome Gamulina 1, 21465 Jelsa
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 9:00-13:00, 17:00-21:00 (summer); reduced hours in off-season
Price: Adults: €5, Children (7-18): €2, Under 7: Free
Family Appeal: This compact museum cleverly presents Jelsa's maritime and agricultural history with engaging visual displays. The fisherman's house reconstruction particularly captivates younger visitors with its authentic details.
Worth visiting? Yes, especially on arrival to orient your family to Jelsa's history and development. Manageable size prevents museum fatigue in children.
Jelsa Municipal Museum – Viticulture collection (Pitve)
Address: Pitve 71, 21465 Pitve
Hours: Mon-Tue: closed; Wed-Thu: 9:00-16:00; Fri-Sat: 13:00-20:00; Sun: 10:00-16:00
Price: Adults: €5, Children (7-18): €2, Under 7: Free
Family Appeal: Viticulture and winemaking have been a significant part of the identity of the inhabitants of the island of Hvar since the Greek colonization of the island in the 4th century BC. The viticulture collection contains traditional tools, equipment for the production and storage of wine, an inventory of traditional cuisine, and a modern audio-visual system that evokes the history of the island of Hvar.
Worth visiting? Yes, especially with a museum guide to tell you more about the importance of viticulture on Hvar Island.
Stari Grad Museums
Stari Grad Museum (Muzej Staroga Grada)
Address: Braće Biankini 4, 21460 Stari Grad Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00-13:00, 18:00-21:00 (June-September); 10:00-14:00 (October-May)
Price: Adults: €6, Children (7-18): €3, Family ticket: €12
Family Appeal: Housed in the Renaissance palace of poet Petar Hektorović, this museum combines architectural interest with archaeological finds spanning 2,400 years. The garden offers a peaceful retreat when attention spans wane.
Worth visiting? Definitely worthwhile, particularly for families with children interested in ancient history. The Greek artifacts provide tangible connections to the island's earliest European settlers.
Stari Grad Plain Museum
Address: Put Starogradskog polja, Dračevica
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9:00-15:00 (April-October)
Price: Adults: €4, Children: €2
Family Appeal: This small interpretation center explains the UNESCO-protected agricultural landscape that has remained virtually unchanged since ancient Greek times. Interactive displays help children understand the remarkable preservation of this cultural landscape.
Worth visiting? Best combined with actual exploration of the Plain itself. The museum provides context that transforms a simple drive through farmland into a journey through living history.
Hvar Town Museums
Hvar Heritage Museum (Muzej hvarske baštine)
Address: Hanibala Lucića 8, 21450 Hvar
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00-13:00, 17:00-20:00 (summer); 10:00-13:00 (winter)
Price: Adults: €7, Children (7-18): €3, Family ticket: €15
Family Appeal: Located in the former summer house of a Croatian poet Hanibal Lucić, this museum houses an impressive collection spanning prehistoric times through the Renaissance. The collection of Venetian-era paintings provides historical context for the architectural splendor visible throughout town.
Worth visiting? More appropriate for families with older children who can appreciate art history and naval traditions. Consider visiting in short segments rather than attempting to see everything at once.
Franciscan Monastery Museum
Address: Križa obala 3, 21450 Hvar
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 9:00-12:00, 17:00-19:00 (May-September)
Price:Adults: €4, Children: €2
Family Appeal: Beyond religious artifacts, this monastery houses an exceptional collection of maps and navigational instruments that fascinate children interested in exploration. The peaceful garden offers welcome respite from Hvar Town's bustle.
Worth visiting? The monastery's location by the sea creates a serene atmosphere that contrasts with the energy of Hvar Town. Worth a brief visit even with children who might not appreciate the religious aspects.
Benedictine Monastery and Church of St. Anthony the Abbot
Address: Kroz Grodu 15, 21450 Hvar
Hours: 10:00-13:00, 16:00-19:00 (closed on Thursdays and Sundays)
Price: Adults: €5, Children: €5
Family Appeal: Making lace from the threads of agave leaves is a specialty of the Benedictines of Hvar, for which they are known worldwide today. They have nurtured this tradition for more than 120 years. The museum collection contains many valuable paintings, preserved works of Venetian and Dubrovnik masters as well as church silverware.
Worth visiting? The Benedictine monastery is especially known to the world for its agave lace, which is nurtured and passed down from generation to generation in the monastery and is on the UNESCO list as a cultural intangible asset.
Other Notable Sites
Lavender Heritage in Velo Grablje
Address: Velo Grablje (near Hvar Town)
Seasonal Experience: Best visited during the annual Lavender Festival (late June/early July)
Price: Free to explore the village; festival activities may have small fees
Family Appeal: While not a formal museum, this village offers an immersive experience of Hvar's lavender heritage. The stone houses, hillside setting, and surrounding lavender fields create a living museum of traditional island life.
Worth visiting? Particularly during the Lavender Festival (typically held in early July) when demonstrations of traditional distillation methods take place. The village itself tells the story of Hvar's lavender industry more authentically than any curated exhibit could. Children enjoy the sensory experience of the fragrant surroundings and the opportunity to explore a traditional village setting.
Museum of Mystery – Ivan Vučetić
Address: Kroz Burak 39, 21450 Hvar
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00-21:00 (May-October)
Price: Free entrance
Family Appeal: The interpretation center is dedicated to the Croatian inventor of dactyloscopy and one of the world’s most influential pioneers of forensic science, Ivan Vučetić. It is located in the house where this great man lived and worked, in the very center of the town of Hvar, and it offers exciting activities for kids.
Worth visiting? It is the first museum in Croatia dedicated to one of the most prominent figures in the world of forensics, a Hvar born. It tells a fascinating story about the father of forensics and his contribution to the development of science.
St. Mary's Archaeological Collection (Vrboska)
Address: Church of St. Mary, Vrboska
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:00-12:00 (summer only)
Price: Adults: €2, Children: Free
Family Appeal: This tiny museum houses artifacts recovered from the seabed around Hvar, displayed within a fortified church. The building itself tells the story of pirate attacks and village defense strategies.
Worth visiting? The fortified church architecture often interests children more than the artifacts themselves. A quick visit combines well with exploring Vrboska's "Little Venice" canals.