During July 2026, the Museum of Sarajevo hosted six significant events. We established a partnership with the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton/County Archives, presented two exhibitions and held a public lecture at Brusa Bezistan, signed a cooperation agreement and took part in organizing five concerts by Damir Imamović at Svrzo’s House, and brought our puppets to the Novi Grad Gallery. It has been a month filled with valuable projects and successful collaborations, and we look forward with great enthusiasm to the new challenges and activities that the coming period will bring.
A Mosaic of Herzegovinian Heritage in the Heart of Sarajevo: Treasures Preserved by the Archives of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton/County Unveiled
On 1 July 2026, Brusa Bezistan hosted a cultural event entitled “A Mosaic of Heritage from the Archives of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton/County.” The Archives presented part of their rich cultural and historical heritage to the public, with the event focusing on the Archives’ monograph, the Oriental Collection, and the invaluable legacy of Hivzija Hasandedić, one of Herzegovina’s most prominent researchers. Speakers at the presentation included Indira Kučuk Sorguč, Director of the Museum of Sarajevo; Dr Aladin Husić, Director of the Oriental Institute; Jasmin Branković, representing the Federal Ministry of Education and Science; and Amir Kadribegović, Director of the Archives of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton/County. The event also reflected the Archives’ new and more dynamic approach to their work. Director Amir Kadribegović noted that, until 2025, the Archives had never organised an event in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, whereas this was already their third event in Sarajevo in the space of fourteen months.
Shadows of Potočari (Potočarske sjene)
To commemorate the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, the Public Institution Museum of Sarajevo presented “Shadows of Potočari,” a documentary photography exhibition by Velija Hasanbegović, from 9 to 14 July 2026. The exhibition comprised twenty black-and-white photographs taken in Potočari and Srebrenica during and after collective funeral ceremonies, capturing moments marked by the survivors’ profound grief, silence, and patient endurance. A culture of remembrance is one of the most important foundations of a responsible society. Remembering the Srebrenica genocide is not only a duty owed to the victims and their families, but also an enduring responsibility shared by us all—to preserve the truth, pass it on to future generations, and never allow it to be forgotten.
Damir Imamović’s Sevdah at Svrzo’s House
With twelve consecutive sold-out concerts, the project “Damir Imamović’s Sevdah at Svrzo’s House” has become a cultural phenomenon in its own right and has now received further official recognition of its significance. On 14 July 2026, an agreement was signed at Svrzo’s House to continue the financial and institutional support provided by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton for this distinctive summer event. The signing was attended by Kenan Magoda, Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton; maestro Damir Imamović; Indira Kučuk Sorguč, Director of the Public Institution Museum of Sarajevo; and Nataša Musa, representing the Sarajevo Navigator Foundation.
Artists to Sarajevo (Umjetnici Sarajevu)
On 15 July 2026, the 15th International Exhibition “Artists to Sarajevo,” organised by the Art Colony Association, opened at Brusa Bezistan as part of the “Baščaršija Nights” festival. The exhibition was dedicated to the distinguished artist Edin Numankadić, who was a member of the Association and exhibited every year at this traditional visual arts event. The exhibition featured twenty-three works by artists from seven countries. Works by Halil Tikveša, Adis Lukač, Šemsa Gavrankapetanović, Nela Hasanbegović, Ilonka Jasak, Ćazin Hadžimejlić, Adela Nurković Kulenović, Bata Bistandžić, Mirsada Baljić, Ira Skopljak Viteškić, Jadran Ademović, Merima Ivković, Mersiha Nerdžanović Menić, Mensud Hasković, Muhamed Pjevo, Nataša Andreeva Salihović, Nerica Abdulić Osmančević, Nora Lefa, Nada Martinović, Nedim Meco, Sanela Budalica Meco, and Edin Numankadić adorned the hall of Brusa Bezistan.
Sarajevo in a Century of Splendour and Dust (Sarajevo u stoljeću sjaja i praha)
On 15 July 2026, the 26th public lecture in the “Our Heritage” series, entitled “Sarajevo in a Century of Splendour and Dust,” was held at Brusa Bezistan. The lecture was delivered by Dr Muamer Hodžić, Senior Research Associate at the Oriental Institute of the University of Sarajevo, who earned his doctorate with a dissertation on Sarajevo in the seventeenth century. Discussing the city’s history during this period, he emphasised Sarajevo’s importance as the administrative, political, legal, educational, cultural, and tourist centre of the Bosnian Eyalet.
Sevdah in Typography
On 23 July 2026, the interdisciplinary student exhibition Sevdah in Typography opened at Svrzo’s House, part of the Museum of Sarajevo. The exhibition was organized in cooperation between the Museum of Sarajevo and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS). The exhibition presents the work of students enrolled in the Typography course, taught by Assistant Professor Nejira Mulahmetović. Through contemporary visual expression, it explores the richness of the sevdalinka as one of the most recognizable symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s cultural identity. Through typographic posters, the students interpreted the poetry, emotion, and rhythm of the sevdalinka, bringing together research, design, and cultural heritage in a cohesive artistic whole.
Sarajevo Karađoz (Sarajevski Karađoz)
The exhibition “Sarajevo Karađoz: Shadows That Speak” opened at the Gallery of Novi Grad Municipality on 28 July 2026. The exhibition was curated by museum adviser Mirsad Avdić. The collection of Hasib Ramić, Sarajevo’s last Karagöz puppeteer, introduces visitors to the character puppets of this symbolic and immediate form of theatre, which constitutes an important part of our rich intangible cultural heritage. The exhibition will remain open until 10 August 2026.
