Kumrovec in Croatian Zagorje is one of the most recognizable cultural and tourist destinations in the region, mainly due to the open-air ethnographic museum Staro Selo. It is an exceptionally well-preserved and carefully arranged ethnographic village that offers visitors an insight into the life of the Zagorje countryside at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The museum includes around 40 traditional buildings within the area of the former village, forming a unique representation of past rural life. A walk through Kumrovec is essentially a journey into the past, where stories of work, customs, and everyday life of the people who lived here more than a century ago are revealed at every step. Houses, farm buildings, and auxiliary structures are set in their original environment, which gives the site a strong sense of authenticity. Visitors can explore the interiors of some houses, where living spaces, traditional furniture, and everyday objects used by farming families are displayed. A special value of the museum lies in the presentation of old crafts and workshops typical of this region. Various traditional skills are demonstrated, such as blacksmithing, carpentry, pottery, and the production of textile and wooden items. Workshops are often organized where visitors can actively participate and learn how objects were made from natural materials such as straw, wood, or clay. This approach provides an interactive and engaging experience suitable for families and school groups. In addition to crafts, an important part of the museum presentation includes the reconstruction of customs and traditional celebrations that marked the lives of local people throughout the year. Events related to viticulture, religious holidays, weddings, and other important community occasions are brought back to life. In this way, rich intangible cultural heritage is preserved and presented as an important part of the region’s identity. Kumrovec is also historically significant as the birthplace of Josip Broz Tito, whose house is today a museum featuring exhibits of personal items, photographs, and displays of the period in which he lived. This section of the museum complements the broader historical narrative of the village and attracts numerous visitors from around the world.
Today, Staro Selo Kumrovec is considered one of the largest and best-preserved ethnographic open-air museums in this part of Europe. With its authenticity, organization, and rich content, it represents an important example of cultural heritage preservation and a popular tourist destination that combines history, tradition, and an authentic rural experience.