Brusje Heritage Museum
DESIGN CONSULTANCY, COLLECTION CURATION, SPATIAL DESIGN, FURNITURE DESING
Brusje Heritage Museum is a private family museum located in the small, inland village of Brusje on the island of Hvar. It is dedicated to the life and legacy of Marin Hraste — a passionate collector. Over his life, Hraste gathered an extraordinary collection of man-made and nature-made objects. He studied their origin, significance, and stories, many times with very limited sources of knowledge.
The collection spans from fossils, ancient ceramics, and Roman coins, to 19th-century cannonballs and glass windows saved from old galleys. The functions of certain everyday items are no longer easily recognised — tools for shoemaking and garment-making, livestock and farming accessories, household utensils, and equipment for fishing and winemaking.
The original collection was several times larger than what could fit into the small konoba — the ground-floor storage space of the Hraste family’s old stone house. The final exhibition was carefully curated to reflect the historical, cultural, and personal value of selected objects, creating a layered experience that evokes multiple eras of everyday life.
The museum design is inspired by the cabinets of curiosities — the 16th- and 17th-century European phenomenon born out of the Scientific Revolution and exploration of distant cultures and lands. These early museums, founded by scientists, aristocrats, and merchants, displayed peculiar collections of items in wooden cabinets filled with drawers, shelves, and glass vitrines.
As a response to the limited space, the spirit of these cabinets is translated here into long custom display units, combining a top shelf with two rows of glass-covered drawers. This three-layer format maximizes the collection to be shown, organized by period or purpose, while preserving the intimacy of a tactile, drawer-opening experience. To bring a quiet modernity into the otherwise rustic context, the oak-veneered cabinets rest on stainless steel legs, powder-coated in a terracotta-pink tone that subtly accentuate numerous terracotta exhibits.
Artefacts are grouped and displayed on two custom wood stains: a warm brown under ceramics and fossils, and a dusty rose under wooden and time-worn metal items — creating soft, intentional contrasts. A separate transparent cabinet, housing an 18th-century Venetian military uniform, is built from solid oak with hidden hinges and inset glass — framing the garment in a clean, minimal structure that pays respect it its immense value.
Graphic design: Marco Perić
Photography: Nikola Radovani, Bruno Dubravec
Light design: Klement Zaninović
Year: 2024