The museum was established in 1844 as the Museum of Serbian Lands.
It holds the only painting by Henri Matisse in the region, 'Interior with Young Girl'.
The collection includes the Miroslav Gospel, a 12th-century illuminated manuscript listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
The building was originally constructed as the Mortgage Bank of the Kingdom of Serbia before being repurposed for the museum.
The permanent display includes 160 works of art by the Serbian impressionist Nadežda Petrović.
The numismatic collection is one of the most comprehensive in the Balkans, documenting historical currency transitions since the medieval period.
The museum's interior layout was completely redesigned in the 2018 renovation to provide an integrated chronological flow through history.
Some prehistoric artifacts on display originate from the Vinča culture, one of the most advanced Neolithic civilizations in Europe.
The National Museum of Serbia serves as the country's oldest and most significant museum, housing a collection of over 400,000 artifacts. Its permanent exhibition spans from prehistoric periods through the Middle Ages to modern art, covering the territory of present-day Serbia and the wider Balkans. The Lepenski Vir archaeological collection, featuring distinct stone-carved sculptures dating back to the 7th millennium BC, is a highlight of the ground floor. The museum's holdings include significant works by international masters such as Picasso, Renoir, and Matisse, alongside a robust collection of Serbian and Yugoslav art. The building itself is an architectural landmark, reconstructed and modernized to incorporate contemporary exhibition standards after a long-term closure. It holds an extensive numismatic collection with over 300,000 coins, medals, and seals. The museum occupies a prominent position on Republic Square, the central hub of Belgrade.
The grand staircase and the main atrium, which capture the architectural scale of the historic building.
Start your visit on the top floor and work your way down to follow the chronological path of history.
Check the museum's website for temporary exhibitions, as these often occupy the dedicated gallery space on the ground floor.
Visit the museum shop near the entrance for high-quality reproductions of historical artifacts and Serbian art publications.
Trying to see every single item in one visit, as the sheer volume of the collection is overwhelming; focus on specific eras.
Closed on Mondays.
Maintain a quiet volume; flash photography is generally prohibited in galleries containing light-sensitive artifacts.
