Sarajevo offers different ways to explore the city’s history and culture: historic sites, museums, exhibitions and the legacy of the Winter Olympic Games. For planning, it helps to distinguish between the themes. Some institutions focus on long historical periods, while others explore a specific chapter in the city’s history or a particular cultural tradition. Botany and film are also possible highlights of your stay.
City history at historic sites
Vijećnica was officially opened on 20 April 1896. Following reconstruction based on the original documentation, it reopened on 9 May 2014. Today, it hosts ceremonial events at state and city level, as well as events in culture, the arts and business. It also houses permanent and occasional museum facilities. As the current programme should be checked before your trip, the best way to plan a visit is to see what is on offer at the time.
The Sarajevo Museum consists of a main building and five annexes: Svrzo’s House, Despić House, Jewish Museum, Brusa Bezistan and Museum of Sarajevo 1878–1914. The museum’s archaeological collections span a broad period: from the prehistoric settlements at Butmir through Illyrian and Roman settlements, medieval Bosnia, the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian periods, and into the present day. Brusa Bezistan was built in 1551 by Rustem Pasha, grand vizier to Suleiman the Magnificent.
Baščaršija is another historical landmark: the old bazaar is considered Sarajevo’s historical and cultural centre. Its origins are associated with the founding of the city by Isa-bey Ishaković in the 15th century. Records show that in 1462 Isa-bey Ishaković built a lodging house and a number of shops there. These details place the old bazaar in a specific historical context, while the museums explore different eras and collections.
Exhibitions on the siege and everyday life
The Tunel D-B memorial complex, publicly known as Tunel spasa (“Tunnel of Hope”), combines a historical experience at the authentic site where it was built and used with an exhibition on the siege of Sarajevo. The Butmir side is open to visitors; check the official visitor access again before your trip. The complex includes an authentic 25-metre tunnel section and a revitalised 100-metre section. A map of the siege explains the city’s history in the exhibition.
The “Besieged Sarajevo” exhibition at the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina portrays the daily life of the city’s population during the siege from 1992 to 1995. Photographs, documents and objects made by Sarajevo residents tell this story, including improvised household items from the wartime period. The focus is on everyday experiences and the things people made themselves, while the map in the Tunel D-B complex depicts the siege through a representation of the city.
Botany, tradition and Olympic memories
The Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina covers 14,270 square metres and contains 12 scientific and exhibition collections. Around 1,000 plant species grow there. The garden shares knowledge about native flora and the importance of protecting biodiversity. In the same museum, the archaeological collections explore human life in Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Early Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages. The garden and archaeology therefore offer different perspectives: one collection focuses on plants and biodiversity, the other on long periods of human history.
The Museum of the Gazi Husrev-beg Library offers visitors an encounter with the Islamic tradition of Bosniaks in this area through its permanent exhibition. A lapidarium of stone works is located in the foyer. The library’s collection comprises more than 1,200 objects. These details refer to the library collection; the permanent exhibition and lapidarium described here also offer their own insight into the museum.
The Olympic Museum in Sarajevo preserves the memory of the organisation and staging of the XIV Olympic Winter Games. Its sports section covers the preparation, organisation and staging of the Games. The museum shows groups and visitors films of the opening, the events and the closing of the Games. Alongside the historical and cultural collections, sports planning and film retrospectives offer distinct themes to explore.
Planning transport and cultural highlights
The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina can be reached by any tram line; depending on your direction, you can get off at the “Technical School” stop. A city bus also runs on the Baščaršija–Dobrinja route. Check public transport conditions before travelling. To choose your visits, use the different themes as a guide: city history, the siege, archaeology, botany, Islamic tradition or Olympic memories. The Sarajevo Film Festival adds another cultural highlight, focusing on cinema from Southeastern Europe and the South Caucasus. CineLink is aimed at the film industry, while Talents Sarajevo focuses on training young filmmakers; the programme includes competitions for feature, short and documentary films.
If you are looking for hotels in Sarajevo, your trip’s main theme can be a useful starting point: consider which of the city’s different facets interests you most. For a visit to Vijećnica, check the current programme; for Tunel D-B, check visitor access again in advance.
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Go to the main travel overview: Republika Srpska.
