The City Museum of Split was founded in 1946. It is located in the northeastern part of Diocletian’s palace, within the complex of Medieval buildinqs at whose center is the Gothic palace of the Papalic family designed and built by the native master Juraj of Dalmatia and his stonecarvers and builders circle. Beautifully excuted are the courtyard with its richly decorated portal and loggia, the first floor hall with its lavish four-light, two-light and one-light windows and with the well preserved wooden ceiling. The Renaissance building with a fine window decoration completes the ensemble of the courtyard. Inside, the permanent museum exhibition relates a segment from the history of the city, the period when Split was an autonomous city commune (XII-XlV centuries).

The city statute, seal and coins and the Romanesque sculpture from the belfry of the cathedral stand out among the exhibits. Within the period of Venetian rule (XVth- XVlth centuries), a central place is given to the Marulic’s literary circle. Mention should also be made of Libro d’Oro, Gothic-Renaissance coffers. In the armoury are exhibited the weapons from the XVt to the XVIII centuries, used for the defence of Split.