Zagreb City Museum was founded in 1907. In the ninetieth year of its existence, in 1997, the Museum opened the sixth permanent exhibition, which first took place in the restored and appropriate premises with the use of modern technology. The exhibition was presented past Zagreb from prehistory, traces of which were recently discovered under the building of the museum, to the present day.

Tematicheskogosi combination of chronological approaches, as well as application of modern museological and technological principles, increased the interest of the visitor to the Museum of the City of Zagreb today. The permanent exhibition gives a portrait of the city in all its aspects, covering politics, church, history, economics and business, urban planning and architecture, history of art and literature, entertainment and everyday life. A variety of themes and exhibits, ranging from rarities to garden accessories, from the artistic to the popular, lend the museum a special charm. Through its thematic sequence exhibition leads the visitor into a rich life of Zagreb and shows changes in its urban landscape.

The building, which now houses the museum, was once a convent of Poor Clares (1650), in and of itself is a historical monument of great importance. During repair facilities (1989-1997) were carried out by archaeologists additional excavations have brought new information. Therefore, a permanent exhibition begins with the interpretation of archaeological findings, which are presented in the very spot where they were found. Museum presents the prehistoric settlements built in the 7th century BC, that is, in the early Iron Age, as well as home and studio of the late Iron Age culture.

The museum features the forty-five in an interesting, coherent and documented manner. Each period is illustrated by typical objects that gives the visitor a vivid portrait of Zagreb, since the legend of the origin of the name of the city, telling about the life of medieval Hradec, various symbols of the city, and ending with the story of the church of St. Mark.

The museum restored shops and shop windows Ilica, recreating the feeling of everyday life this major shopping street of the 19th century. Particular attention is drawn to the urban development program "Green Horseshoe" with models of the most important buildings, taken from the plan of Zagreb, creating an atmosphere typical of the late 19th century.

The 20th century is represented by characteristic notes, telling about the most important and interesting events characteristic of this period, including the life in Zagreb during the first and second world wars, the fear and insecurity experienced by the city in 1945.

Zagreb City Museum was nominated for the title of "European Museum of the Year" in 2000.