The contribution made by the croatian natural history museum to a better interpretation of the croatian natural heritage

Abstract

Modern museums have an ever more important role in the implementation of programmes of cultural or natural tourism, for with their collections and exhibitions they attract increasing numbers of tourists and also encourage their visitors to set off into nature, to see the sites of the natural history. The Republic of Croatia has outstanding geological (rocks, minerals, fossils and relief) and biological diversity (the plant and animal worlds, habitats and ecosystems), and a little part of this is to be seen in the museum as well, which gives it great potential for interpretation of the natural heritage, and thus for tourism as well. The museum does keep and look after its heritage, but it also promotes it, together, then, with its city, region and country. The partnership between museum and tourism is today necessary for a given natural feature to be properly presented and preserved. There is particular importance in the networking of natural history museums with institutions related to the actual sites of natural features of interest (nature and national parks, geo-parks). The paper shows how the museum in its programmes is oriented to the popularisation and interpretation of the natural beauties of the country. Along with the interactive map on the museum’s web site, by touring the display and the exhibitions, through workshops, publications and other activities, the public can get to know some well known and less well known or entirely unknown and yet significant natural history sites. The programme partners are primarily schools, and after them, tourists. The Croatian curriculum is increasingly encouraging familiarity with natural history, the aim being systematic learning in the classroom and in nature as well, at the sites themselves. In the museum programme of presentation of the natural heritage for schools and tourists, sites are presented that have not only natural value and interest but are also easy, simple and safe of access, in other words, laid out for visitors.