Based in Zagreb, it was established in 1950 as the national lexicographical institute of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The office in Belgrade was opened in 1981 in the building across the street from the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts to simplify communication with majority of other common federal Yugoslav institutions.

[1] Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was renamed to its current name in 1991, becoming the national lexicographical institute of Croatia, situated in 26 Frankopan Street of Zagreb.

[2] The institute employs numerous scientists in many areas of expertise and issues general and specific reference works as well as maps and travel guides.

Some of the major encyclopedic works completed or started by the institute in its Yugoslav period until 1991 were: The institute also published numerous lexicons such as: One publication has spanned both the historical eras of Yugoslavia and Croatia, the Croatian Biographical Lexicon (Hrvatski biografski leksikon) – which is still a work in progress, with 9 volumes published between 1983 and 2021.