National Museum of Montenegro

Which museums belong to it

All units stand in the historic centre of Cetinje, around Dvorski trg, except two that belong to the Historical Museum: Njegoš's birth house in Njeguši and the mausoleum on Lovćen. Each unit has its own page with hours, tickets and what to see.

• Historical Museum: the permanent exhibition in the Government House (Vladin dom), closed to visitors while a new permanent exhibition is prepared; King Nikola's Museum in the former royal palace; Njegoš Museum Biljarda; the Relief of Montenegro; Njegoš's birth house in Njeguši; and the Njegoš Mausoleum.
• Art Museum: the Art Museum in the Government House and the Montenegrin Gallery of Art "Miodrag Dado Đurić" with Atelier Dado.
• Ethnographic Museum in the former Serbian legation on Dvorski trg.
• Archaeological Museum with Lapidarium, founded in 2012; the lapidarium stands in the Biljarda courtyard.

Opening hours and tickets

One timetable applies to all units. Summer hours run from 15 April to 15 November: every unit 09:00-16:00, daily except the Dado gallery (Tuesday to Saturday); the mausoleum opens from 11 April. Winter hours run from 16 November to 14 April: most units Monday to Friday 09:00-15:00, the mausoleum and the birth house closed, the Dado gallery Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-16:00 until 31 December and then closed until 14 April. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. In summer the units also open on Monday, the day most town museums elsewhere in Montenegro are closed.

Each unit sells its own ticket. The collective ticket for all units and the mausoleum costs €20 for adults and €10 for pupils and students. Entry is free for children under 12, residents of Cetinje, ICOM members and organised school visits from Montenegro. A visit outside opening hours can be arranged for €200 plus tickets, and group bookings go by e-mail to posjeta@narodnimuzej.me.

History

The museum tradition in Cetinje starts in 1838, when a room in the Biljarda displayed trophy weapons, flags and church objects. In 1896 a law created the Princely Montenegrin Library and Museum, set up in Zetski dom, and the institution counts its anniversaries from that year. The State Museum was founded in 1926 in King Nikola's former court, the second founding date in use. The National Gallery, later the Art Museum, followed in 1950; the Ethnographic Museum, the Njegoš Museum and the Museum of the National Liberation War in 1951. In 1992 the Cetinje museums were renamed the National Museum of Montenegro, and in 2012 the Archaeological Museum was founded and the lapidarium and the Dado gallery opened.

Getting there and planning a visit

The central units are within a few minutes' walk of each other around Dvorski trg and Novice Cerovića street in Cetinje, next to Cetinje Monastery. The birth house is in Njeguši and the mausoleum on Lovćen, inside Lovćen National Park, 19.3 km and about 33 minutes from Cetinje by road; both need a car or a tour, both close in winter, and the park charges its own €3 day ticket. The administration is at Novice Cerovića bb, Cetinje, telephone +382 41 230 310, office hours Monday to Friday 07:00-15:00; the website is narodnimuzej.me.

Nearby

• Cetinje Monastery, next to the Biljarda.
• Mausoleum of Bishop Danilo on Orlov krš above the town.
• Money Museum of the Central Bank, Njegoševa 122, free entry.
• Other museums in Montenegro.

Questions

Is the collective ticket worth it? It covers every unit and the mausoleum for €20; the mausoleum alone is €8 and King Nikola's Museum €8, so it pays off from three sites.

Can everything be seen in one day? The Cetinje units are a short walk apart; the mausoleum and the birth house are separate trips by road.

Is the Historical Museum open? The permanent exhibition in the Government House is closed to visitors while a new one is prepared; the other units of the Historical Museum are open.