SYMPOSIUM
ON THE OCCASION OF
THE 150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION,
THE 81st ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT,
AND 80 YEARS OF PUBLIC ACTIVITY OF
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM RIJEKA
CONTEMPORARY NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS AT THE INTERSECTION OF CULTURE AND SCIENCE
Rijeka, November 12th and 13th 2026
The roles, tasks, and expectations of museums today are different, broader, and more diverse than ever before. Museums are more open, inclusive, and accessible; they emerge from and evolve within communities, serve as safe spaces where everyone can find their place. They address difficult topics, break prejudices, offer new perspectives, and serve as places of encounter and reconciliation—not only preserving existing identities but also discovering new ones. At the same time, in today's uncertain world, the survival of many museums is threatened by financial, political, or security reasons.
For centuries, natural history museums have documented and preserved natural heritage and biodiversity patterns in space and time. With the development of new collecting and research methods, the specimens in our collections have become sources of significantly more information than in the past. Furthermore, the advancement of digital technologies enables the analysis of vast amounts of data on a global scale. Collectively, our museum objects convey information from ancient times—for instance, regarding climate change, environmental conditions, and, of course, biodiversity on different levels. Consequently, natural history museums gain a perhaps unique potential among cultural institutions to encourage a reinterpretation of the relationship between humans and the (rest of) nature, as well as to foster understanding and action regarding 21st-century challenges in the fields of environmental, climatic, biological, and social sustainability.
The distancing of society and individuals from science and nature, skepticism toward systems and institutions, living in imaginary digital worlds, the exclusion of certain social groups from cultural and social life, numerous other social challenges, and a planet changing before our eyes—coupled with the immense potential of collections to answer critical questions—place an exceptional responsibility on natural history museums today.
Natural history museums are cultural institutions integrated into the lives of communities and individuals through their programs, all of which are based on natural sciences, natural heritage specimens, research, and answers to questions about the world around us. How do contemporary natural history museums in the region fulfill all their tasks and roles? How and where do they research and seek answers to questions about our world? In what ways do they enter the lives of individuals and communities, how do they accomplish their missions and visions, and do they find support and protection within the regulations governing their activities?
The aim of this professional and scientific symposium is to promote cooperation and the exchange of scientific and professional insights and experiences between natural history museums, their founders, policymakers, and the public.
The symposium will consist of plenary lectures, oral presentations, poster sessions, a panel discussion, and a formal program marking the 150th anniversary of the foundation, the 81st anniversary of the establishment, and the 80th anniversary of the public activity of the Natural History Museum Rijeka.
Organizer: Natural History Museum Rijeka
For the Organizer: Željka Modrić Surina, PhD, Director
Date: 12–13 November 2026
Venue:
12 November – Hotel Continental, Šetalište Andrije Kačića Miošića 1, Rijeka
13 November – Natural History Museum Rijeka, Lorenzov prolaz 1, Rijeka, and Natural History Museum Rijeka – Zrinski Castle, Kralja Tomislava 1, Brod na Kupi
Accommodation: Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation during the Symposium.
A special accommodation rate, including a 10% discount, has been arranged for Symposium participants at Hotel Continental. To receive the discount, please use the promotional code PM1580 when making your reservation.
Reservations should be made directly with the hotel.
For a limited number of participants from countries outside the European Union, the organizers may cover accommodation costs. If you require accommodation support, please contact us by e-mail.
Registration fee;
The professional and scientific symposium Modern Natural History Museums between Culture and Science is open to all interested participants who wish to register and take part in all symposium activities. Participation in the symposium is free of charge.
The official languages of the symposium are: Croatian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Serbian, Slovenian and English.
Submissions are accepted in the following fields:
· Collecting samples, specimens, and data in natural history museums;
· Natural history museum items and collections, collection management, systematic and emergency protection, and conservation of natural history materials;
· Scientific and expert research at natural history museums, development and application of scientific methods in processing museum materials;
· Museum documentation and museum databases;
· Digitization and digitalization processes, modern technologies in natural history museums, processing of big data and metadata;
· Interpretation of natural heritage, permanent displays and exhibitions;
· Museum education and audience development programs, inclusive, collaborative, and participatory programs, museums in community;
· Communication, promotion, and public relations in natural history museums;
· Financing, public policies, and regulations governing the operation of natural history museums; and
· Other fields that natural history museums operate in.
Expert and Scientific Committee:
Ass. Prof. Darko Babić, PhD, Head of Museology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb; ICOM International Committee for the Training of Personnel (ICOM-ICTOP) Chair; Croatia
Massimo Bernardi, PhD, Director, Museo delle Scienze – MUSE, Italy
Renata Brezinščak, Senior Museum Educator, Croatian Natural History Museum; Croatia
Klara Bukovac, Senior Marketing Manager, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Suzana Buzjak, PhD, Senior Curator, Croatian Natural History Museum; Croatia
Natalija Čađenović, PhD, Senior Curator, Director, Prirodnjački muzej Crne Gore; Crna Gora
Prof. Danko Dujmović, PhD, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka; Croatia
Nadia Dunato Pejnović, Senior Curator, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Anita Hodak, Senior Museum Educator, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Miha Jeršek, PhD, Senior Curator; Director, Slovenian Museum of Natural History; Slovenia
Marin Kirinčić, Senior Curator, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Marcelo Kovačić, PhD, Senior Curator, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Borut Kružić, Senior Museum Documentalist, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Željka Modrić Surina, PhD, Senior Curator, Director; Natural History Museum Rijeka; ICOM Croatia Chair; Croatia
Verica Stojanović, Curator, Head of the Department of Biology, Natural History Museum in Belgrade, Serbia
Ass. Prof. Boštjan Surina, PhD, Senior Curator, Natural History Museum Rijeka; Croatia
Martina Šašić Kljajo, PhD, Senior Curator, Head of the Department of Zoology, Croatian Natural History Museum; Croatia
Organizing Committee: Irena Babarović, Lado Bartoniček, Domagoj Bogić, Klara Bukovac, Nadia Dunato Pejnović, Anita Hodak, Marin Kirinčić, Borut Kružić, Marcelo Kovačić, PhD, Tea Mirth, Željka Modrić Surina, PhD, Ass. Prof. Boštjan Surina, PhD.
Symposium Contact:
Klara Bukovac
Borut Kružić
Željka Modrić Surina, PhD
symposium2026@prirodoslovni.com
IMPORTANT DATES
Deadline for registration: August 31st 2026, via the online registration form available at: https://forms.gle/zWjo3fB2auqjXvAJA
Abstract submission deadline: September 30th 2026, by e-mail to: symposium2026@prirodoslovni.com
Abstracts should be submitted as an editable document and written in one of the official languages of the Symposium, using the Latin alphabet. The abstract should not exceed 1,500 characters, including spaces. The title of the presentation, the names of the author(s), and their affiliations (institution, address, city, and country) must be included. These elements are not counted towards the character limit.
Due to time and space constraints, the Organizing Committee reserves the right to reassign contributions proposed as oral presentations to poster presentations, and vice versa.
Notification of acceptance by the Organizing Committee: October 10th 2026
Preliminary programme available: October 20th 2026