Museum of folk arts and crafts, located in Zagreb, was founded in 1880 on the initiative of the Society of Arts. The museum was one of the first institutions of its kind in Europe. In 1882 the museum was created School of Crafts, which is now the School of Applied Art and Design. The building of the museum was designed by architect Herman Bolle in the spirit of the German Renaissance.

Home museum fund was initiated a few years before the official opening of bishop Strossmayer. Isidore Krshnyaviya on donations at the Paris auction in 1875 was acquired by the meeting of the Catalan artist and collector Marian Fortuna. From 1880 collection is enriched not only in Croatia but also throughout Europe. Much of the museum fund was received from private collectors.

In the early years the museum was located in a rented building on the street Mary Valeria (now - street of Prague). The museum moved to its current building in 1909, at the same time was open, and a permanent exhibition. In 1919 the museum was opened Museum of Contemporary Art. Later, from the Zagreb museum of folk arts and crafts separated Ethnographic Museum.

From 1933 to 1952 the museum was under the direction of Vladimir Tkalich. During this period, a new exhibition was created, consisting of photographs, drawings, printed products. The museum was established restoration workshop. Since 1950 the museum exhibitions actively.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia and the military action of this period the museum was opened in 1995 after the renovation and restoration of the building. Today the museum's collection is about 100 thousand. Objects of fine and applied art, dated 14-21 centuries. The library of the museum more than 65 thousand. Books on arts and crafts.