National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Funding Crisis and Museum Closure

Funding Crisis and Museum Closure

On Thursday, 4 October 2012, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina closed after 124 years of existence. Budgetary restraints have been stated as the main cause for the Museum's closure, although political and cultural issues have also been reported as contributing factors. The Council of Europe noted: "After the war the different cultural groups, who define themselves as nations, have all wanted their own national cultural institutions."

Several demonstrations took place to protest the Museum closing. Several students chained themselves to a pole in the lobby and remained inside, declaring they would stay there until the museum reopened. Dozens of others held a sit-in in front of the building.

Leading up to it's closure, the Museum's heating was turned off on 6 January 2012 and electricity went out on 26 September 2012. The Museum's 65 employees came to work for over a year without being paid.