War Childhood Museum
War Childhood Museum
5
Speciality MuseumsHistory Museums
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The War Childhood Museum's collection contains a number of personal belongings and video testimonies offering valuable insight into the unique experience of growing up affected by armed conflict. The WCM is laureate of the Council of Europe Museum Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the museum industry awarded under the European Museum of the Year scheme. "A symbol of hope, drawn from horror." – Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub "A crucial testament to the indomitability of life." – Téa Obreht "Leader among projects examining the implications of childhood affected by war." – The Times "The Museum founded to preserve the experiences of young people in the Bosnian War of the 1990s, is expanding to reflect the wartime experiences of children everywhere." – The New York Times "The War Childhood Museum is a telling example of what museums can do to change people's lives and make our world a better one to live in." – Marlen Mouliou, Head of Jury, European Museum of the Year Awards
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Lowri L
    Wales, United Kingdom50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An essential stop on your tour of Sarajevo
    I felt very emotional on my tour of the museum and can honestly say it's one of the best I've ever visited. I wish I could visit annually in order to see what other objects and stories form the collection. Thank you to the very kind staff.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 13 October 2023
  • wsamuela
    Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Provoking thoughts and emotions
    We went as a family, my wife and my 10-year-old son. We wanted to have an understanding of the war without the horror of the images that could affect my son. It was a sobering experience. The young lady who welcomed us and gave an introduction of the museum was great. Laying the foundation of the roots of the museum inspired by the book ' War Childhood.' The interactive beginning was a great time to reflect and connect to our own childhood. The written descriptions of the items of the people who donated personal belongings were powerful and caused a lot of thought and emotions. My family and I were moved and hopefully this time at the museum will spark something in us to be more empathetic and act on our thoughts and emotions. We recommend visiting this museum and we are richer in understanding and empathy for our visit today.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 April 2024
  • David P
    Cambridge, United Kingdom10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An unusual perspective on war
    A very well laid-out museum with memorabilia donated by people who were children at the time of the siege of Sarajevo, together with clear explanations of the experiences which made those items dear to them. There are horrific stories and heartwarming stories, and they provide a valuable insight for those of us lucky enough not to have been involved in war. There are also a few examples of children's experiences in other wars. The exhibits and explanations are rotated regularly, which makes everything easy to digest - and makes return visits worthwhile.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 3 July 2024
  • Annsie
    Ireland12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must see for everyone
    This museum is one of the best museums I have ever been to. From the start with the interactive to bring back memories to f your own childhood and then to read of the donations by those who survived the war and why these were the most important items to them. It was really beautifully presented . There are items from children who are in current day conflict (Ukraine and Gaza ) and I found it very emotional
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 July 2024
  • V4r0n1ca
    Vicenza, Italy2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very emotional museum
    One of the most interesting museums in Sarajevo. I've been there a couple of times, they change the exhibition almost every year, I suppose, and every time it's really emotional. A special thanks to Mersiha at the frontdesk, who was so kind, smiling and helpful and gave us all details about museum in Italian. Veronica & Filippo
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles525 reviews
Excellent
477
Very good
31
Average
14
Poor
3
Terrible
0

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

wsamuela
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
We went as a family, my wife and my 10-year-old son. We wanted to have an understanding of the war without the horror of the images that could affect my son. It was a sobering experience. The young lady who welcomed us and gave an introduction of the museum was great. Laying the foundation of the roots of the museum inspired by the book ' War Childhood.' The interactive beginning was a great time to reflect and connect to our own childhood. The written descriptions of the items of the people who donated personal belongings were powerful and caused a lot of thought and emotions. My family and I were moved and hopefully this time at the museum will spark something in us to be more empathetic and act on our thoughts and emotions. We recommend visiting this museum and we are richer in understanding and empathy for our visit today.
Written 2 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caroline Shepard
Sibenik, Croatia13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Probably the most moving museum I have ever visited. The curators and staff have done an amazing job finding an empathetic way to present such a difficult topic. Even my 15 year old was captivated. Bravo.
Written 19 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SnowyShasta
Portland, OR2,329 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
This museum was not so much about learning the details or history of an event or place, but a chance to learn more personally about the lives affected by it. This museum mainly focuses on children impacted by the Siege of Sarajevo, but it has expanded to include objects and notes from children worldwide affected by war.

We spent about an hour here, which was enough time to see everything on display and read the short accompanying text explaining the meaning of the object and its significance to the child and their war experience. Definitely a very sobering but moving place.
Written 8 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelenjoyment
Buckinghamshire, England55 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
A very moving and interesting visit. This museum is a remarkable place and needs to be seen to appreciate the impact of war on children, not only during the Balkan War but in other conflict areas as well. A nice preparatory welcome is given before seeing the exhibits. Thank you to Jasminko Halilovic for setting this museum up for everyone to see.
Written 18 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lowri L
Wales, UK50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
I felt very emotional on my tour of the museum and can honestly say it's one of the best I've ever visited. I wish I could visit annually in order to see what other objects and stories form the collection. Thank you to the very kind staff.
Written 13 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alonso F
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Solo
This is absolutely one of my favorite museums that I have ever visited. The different objects and accompanying write-ups brought out the impact of the war through the telling of personal and intimate experiences as they were understood by the people who were unlucky enough to grow up as children in these circumstances. Apart from the recurring themes of confusion, hardship, and tragedy, there were also many stories of hope, gratitude, humor, and love. The resilience of the human spirit as well as the ability to make the best out of horrible situations were on full display here. I shed at least a few tears and felt truly transformed through time and space during my time in the museum.

The significance and memories that a single object can carry for someone is remarkable and often beautiful. I was left with the feeling that as adults, we simply owe it to all of the children of the world to do everything in our power to avoid the horrors of war and to make sure that the young and the innocent do not have to live in that kind of world. They deserve better.

Note: I visited the War Childhood Museum about a year ago, so I apologize for the late review.
Written 8 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lidia C
Zapopan, Mexico1,143 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
It is small, a little hidden and uphill. It presents an original and core perspective of life during the siege and war. There are sad, mischievous, tender memories, all representative. It's not heartbreaking, it's one of relief and hopeful survival. It takes a while to read each text but it is essential to do so and there are only around 40 objects (arranged with careful and luminous museography). An appreciable documentary is projected, where one can experience the real faces and expressions of these communicative young people, who in a healthy way can currently narrate the stories they starred in. It seems that each one tried to get closer to emotional closure by donating a loved and meaningful object. It is more than advisable to delve into the children's angle of wars. It is worth mentioning that unfortunately some objects are already arriving from Ukraine and Gaza.
Google
Written 19 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David P
Cambridge, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Friends
A very well laid-out museum with memorabilia donated by people who were children at the time of the siege of Sarajevo, together with clear explanations of the experiences which made those items dear to them. There are horrific stories and heartwarming stories, and they provide a valuable insight for those of us lucky enough not to have been involved in war. There are also a few examples of children's experiences in other wars. The exhibits and explanations are rotated regularly, which makes everything easy to digest - and makes return visits worthwhile.
Written 3 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

V4r0n1ca
Vicenza, Italy2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
One of the most interesting museums in Sarajevo. I've been there a couple of times, they change the exhibition almost every year, I suppose, and every time it's really emotional. A special thanks to Mersiha at the frontdesk, who was so kind, smiling and helpful and gave us all details about museum in Italian.
Veronica & Filippo
Written 21 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

annap861
Thessaloniki, Greece171 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Family
A very special museum that includes donations from adults who during the war were children. There are also items from children in Gaza and Ukraine. The entrance is 10 marks, there is a welcome at the beginning and then everyone walks on their own. Wipes, in case you forget to take, are also available inside the museum.
Automatically translated
Written 28 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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WAR CHILDHOOD MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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