New Interactive Exhibition 'Drama 165' of the Theatre Pop-Up Museum Opens at the CNT in Zagreb and the Zagreb City MuseumDrama — 31. March 2026.
The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb has opened a new exhibition of its Theatre Pop-Up Museum titled Drama 165. The exhibition brings to life the rich history of the CNT Drama through the people and stories of the artists and theatre professionals who have shaped it. Dedicated to key figures of Zagreb’s theatre scene, the exhibition offers a dynamic overview of the development of the CNT Drama over the decades.
The exhibition unfolds across three levels, the atrium, mezzanine and first floor, creating a layered spatial and narrative experience for visitors. At its core are 165 portraits of actors, directors, dramaturgs, set designers, costume designers and many other theatre professionals whose work has shaped not only the CNT Drama in Zagreb, but also the history of Croatian theatre as a whole. Each portrait is accompanied by a QR code, which visitors can access to get additional information about the rich careers and biographies of the featured individuals and discover about their contributions to the arts and the development of theatre.
The second part of the exhibition is presented at the Zagreb City Museum, where a multimedia display explores the Theatre’s activity during the period when it operated in the Upper Town.
“The Theatre Pop-Up Museum shows that theatre history is not a static archive, but a living memory that opens up to audiences. The exhibition dedicated to the CNT Drama reminds us that theatre history is shaped by people—their artistic poetics and the encounters that form tradition. The CNT Drama continues to be a space where classical and contemporary meet, and where dialogue with audiences remains central,” General Manager and Artistic Director Iva Hraste Sočo, PhD, said.
The project was realised in collaboration with the Zagreb City Museum, with the support of the Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography. At the opening, speeches were given by General Manager and Artistic Director of the CNT in Zagreb Iva Hraste Sočo, PhD; the exhibition’s concept author Snježana Banović, PhD; Senior Curator of the Zagreb City Museum and Head of the Theatre Collection Marina Perica Krapljanov, and actress, theatre director and pedagogue Neva Rošić.
The exhibition will remain open until the end of the 2025/2026 theatre season. Visitors can view it 30 minutes before the start of performances and programmes, during intervals at the CNT or the regular opening hours of the Zagreb City Museum.
All CNT subscribers for the 2025/2026 season, upon presentation of a subscription card or a ticket for a CNT performance in 2026, are entitled to free admission to the permanent exhibition of the Zagreb City Museum for the duration of the multimedia exhibition Drama 165, presented within the permanent display section named Theatre Life.
