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Serbian Historical Museum at the old Main Station
Ministry of Culture
About Serbian Historical Museum at the old Main Station
Belgrade’s grand old Main Railway Station on Sava Square, where Serbia’s railway age began in 1884, is being rebuilt as the new home of the Serbian Historical Museum and its more than 50,000 objects.
The back story
The Main Station was built between 1882 and 1885 to designs by the architect Dragutin Milutinović, on a marsh called Ciganska bara that first had to be drained and filled. The building was not even finished when the first train left on 1 September 1884, carrying King Milan and Queen Natalija to Vienna, so it was opened still covered in scaffolding.
For 134 years it was the gateway to Belgrade, the busiest station in the country, with the elegant academic facade that Belgraders still love. It closed on 30 June 2018, when the last train, the night service to Budapest, pulled out at 21:40 and trains moved to the new Belgrade Centre station. The building is a cultural monument of great importance.
For 134 years it was the gateway to Belgrade, the busiest station in the country, with the elegant academic facade that Belgraders still love.
The museum
The Serbian Historical Museum, known until 2026 as the Historical Museum of Serbia, was founded in 1963 to tell the story of Serbia from prehistory to the present. It holds more than 50,000 objects in 25 collections, from medieval treasures to the regalia of Serbian kings, but has never had a permanent exhibition space large enough to show them. In 2020 the government gave it the old station as its permanent home.
The building has about 8,100 square metres of space, and the Ministry of Culture has said the museum should open early in 2027, in time to welcome EXPO 2027 visitors. The museum also runs Prince Miloš’s Residence in Topčider, which you can visit today.
Sava Square
In front of the station stands the 23-metre bronze monument to Stefan Nemanja, founder of the medieval Serbian state, unveiled in 2021. With Belgrade Waterfront and the restored Hotel Bristol around it, Sava Square is becoming the centre of a new museum quarter.
Why it's on our list
- A 19th-century station reborn
- 50,000+ objects of Serbian history
- Opening planned early 2027
The new museum
From the Government of Serbia, the Ministry of Culture and the museum.
Key facts · 4
The old Main Railway Station on Sava Square, About 8,100 m² gross, 6,200 m² usable, More than 50,000 objects in 25 collections, Planned opening early 2027, ahead of EXPO
Nearby · 2
Belgrade Waterfront and the Sava Promenade, A new museum quarter around Sava Square
Listings, fees and opening hours change, so please contact Serbian Historical Museum at the old Main Station directly before you visit.
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