[2] Its predecessor institution was the "National Museum" (German: Kroatisches Nationalmuseum Agram) in the Austrian Empire, open to the public since 1846.
The museum consists of five main sections: Prehistory, Egypt, Antiquity, Middle Ages, Coins and Medals.
The section "Antiquity" contains an important collection of Greek vases (about 1,500 vessels) and stones with inscriptions.
Some of the famous artifacts include: The museum is home to the mummified remains of a young Egyptian man who according to carbon dating died at some time between 900BC and 790BC.
[3] As of April 2024, the museum's permanent exhibition is closed to the public because of building repairs due to the damage from the 2020 Zagreb earthquake.