Museum of Danube Swabians | Museums in Serbia

Danube Swabian Museum in Sombor is an institution that brings together the cultural heritage and traditions of the German community, from their arrival in the Vojvodina region to the present day.

The museum is housed in the Grasalković Palace, a cultural monument and building that once served as the seat of the local administration of the Habsburg Monarchy. This palace was the center of German colonization in Bačka during the 18th century.

The Danube Swabian Museum is a branch of the Sombor City Museum, and Sombor is the first city in Serbia to have such an institution dedicated to a minority community.

The museum was established as part of the Historical Department of the Sombor City Museum in 2019, when the Danube Swabian Collection was formed. A year later, it became an independent collection of the Danube Swabian Museum.

Since then, the collection has been rapidly expanding thanks to donations from the Sombor Humanitarian Association "Gerhard" and descendants of Danube Swabians who now mostly live in Germany. The museum's collection currently consists of around 3,000 items.

The permanent exhibition of the museum, also known as (U)VID(E), traces two centuries of coexistence and history of Germans in this area. It includes 250 exhibits and around 3,000 photographs, presenting the history of the Germans in Bačka from the mid-18th century to the mid-20th century and the end of World War II when they were forced to leave and largely disappeared from the Yugoslav territory.

The exhibition highlights the importance and role that Germans played in the creation of culture in the Vojvodina region. It showcases the economic development of this part of Serbia, the coexistence of many nations in Vojvodina, as well as the historical circumstances that led to the collective suffering of the German people in Yugoslavia after the end of World War II.

Visitors to the Danube Swabian Museum can experience a multimedia exhibition that combines modern technological achievements with original museum artifacts. This provides a glimpse into the immigration, spiritual life, religion, education, political organization, daily life, and deportation of Danube Swabians from this region.

The exhibits are preserved in their original form, reflecting their authenticity. The exhibition follows a chronological order, depicting the arrival and settlement of Danube Swabians, the organization of their daily life and work, as well as their progress in the new situation. Visitors can see traditional costumes, furniture, household items, and other original artifacts in the museum.

For culture and tradition enthusiasts and anyone interested in the way of life of Danube Swabians in Serbia, the museum is open from Tuesday to Friday, from 8 am to 7 pm, and on weekends from 9 am to 1 pm. The museum is closed to visitors on Mondays.

The admission fee for the Danube Swabian Museum is 200 dinars, with a 25% discount for students, seniors, and retirees. Children under the age of 7, people with disabilities, and children without parental care can visit the museum for free.