Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.58565/vda.6.1.7
The Local Museum of Blato and the First Local Archival Initiative on Korčula
Tonko Barčot
; The State Archives in Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Abstract
The Blato Local Museum (Zavičajni muzej Blato) was the first independent museum institution on the island of Korčula and the first cultural institution in Blato, established during the early years of social and economic transformation in the rural area. Although it formally operated for only four years (1960–1964) before being closed to the public, volunteers continued to work under limited conditions, collecting artifacts. The museum’s founder and custodian until his death in 1986 was Marin “Mile” Vojvodić Ružir. Thanks to his efforts, the majority of the artifacts were collected. Despite volunteers’ endeavors and new initiatives from the late 1980s to the early 21st century, the museum has not reopened due to the neglect of institutional culture. One of the museum’s activities was the collection of archival material. Although conducted under the museum’s auspices, this can be regarded as the earliest local archival initiative on the island of Korčula. Collection of materials continued even during the museum’s informal operation. In 1984, the first Inventory of Archival Material in Croatia included four fonds and two collections from the Blato Local Museum, totaling 1.9 linear meters. Part of the materials was also collected after Vojvodić’s death, primarily thanks to the efforts of Ante Bačić Grlica. On several occasions, the materials were organized and catalogued, but aside from a summary list for the purpose of national archival records in Croatia, no significant results were achieved. On the contrary, during their transfer from room to room within Arneri Castle, the materials became mixed and were stored under unsuitable conditions, resulting in damage. Part of the collection was irretrievably lost. After 2004, Arneri Castle was completely closed to the public. Due to its dilapidated state, unresolved property issues, and the impossibility of alternative storage and professional processing in Blato, the municipality of Blato transferred the materials to the Archive Collection Center Korčula–Lastovo, a total of 6.1 linear meters of materials from the period 1843–2004 had been collected and summarized for the preparation of a transfer protocol. The acquired materials reflect the activities of the Blato Local Museum, as well as those of other public, social, and private creators. They include an important, albeit fragmentary, record of mostly destroyed documents from public authorities of the Austro-Hungarian and old Yugoslav period
Keywords
Blato Local Museum; Blato; island of Korčula; Mile Vojvodić Ružir; archival materials; Archive Collection Center Korčula–Lastovo
Hrčak ID:
343694
URI
Publication date:
30.1.2026.
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