UltimateCity Guide Sarajevo
Our favourites
Vijećnica, the City Hall, lit up in the evening

21 of the best · Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Museums, Theatre & Culture in Sarajevo

A medieval Haggadah, Ottoman family homes, theatres that played through the siege and the region’s great film festival.

Our 21 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026

Insiders' picks

Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Sarajevo.

  1. The Sarajevo Haggadah

    National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Marijin Dvor·Museum·€

    The country’s great museum of archaeology, ethnography and natural history, founded in 1888, home of the Sarajevo Haggadah.

    Zmaja od Bosne 3Explore View on map

  2. Memories of growing up in war

    War Childhood Museum

    Old Town·Museum·€

    A museum of objects and memories shared by people who were children during the siege.

    Logavina 32Explore View on map

  3. Every August

    Sarajevo Film Festival

    Sarajevo·Film festival·€

    The leading film festival of South-East Europe, held every August since 1995.

    Explore View on map

The full list: Culture, A–Z

Show 19 of 21 places on a map
Neighbourhood

The back story 2

Festivals and heritage.

  1. The back story

    The Sarajevo Film Festival: the back story

    Sarajevo·In depth: festivals

    Born during the siege in 1995, the Sarajevo Film Festival has become the leading film festival of South-East Europe, with open-air screenings and red carpets every August.

    Explore View on map

  2. The back story

    The Sarajevo Haggadah and the city of four faiths: the back story

    Sarajevo·In depth: heritage

    A medieval illuminated manuscript carried from Spain, hidden twice and saved: the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah and of the city’s Sephardic Jews.

    Explore View on map

Museums 8

History, heritage and memory.

  1. A merchant family home

    Despić House

    Old Town·House museum·€

    The home of an Orthodox merchant family, showing how its style changed from Ottoman to European.

    Explore View on map

  2. Life during the siege

    History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Marijin Dvor·Museum·€

    A modernist museum whose exhibition “Surrounded Sarajevo” shows everyday life during the siege.

    Zmaja od Bosne 5Explore View on map

  3. Writers and the stage

    Museum of Literature and Performing Arts

    Old Town·Museum·€

    A small museum of Bosnian literature, theatre and performing arts, with a gallery, near the bazaar.

    Sime Milutinovića 7Explore View on map

  4. In the Old Synagogue

    Museum of the Jews of Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Baščaršija·Museum·€

    The story of Sarajevo’s Jews, from the Sephardic arrivals of the 16th century, in the Old Synagogue.

    Explore View on map

  5. The Sarajevo Haggadah

    National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Marijin Dvor·Museum·€

    The country’s great museum of archaeology, ethnography and natural history, founded in 1888, home of the Sarajevo Haggadah.

    Zmaja od Bosne 3Explore View on map

  6. Sarajevo ’84

    Olympic Museum

    Old Town·Museum·€

    The museum of the 1984 Winter Olympics, in a villa near the old town.

    Petrakijina 7Explore View on map

  7. An Ottoman family home

    Svrzo’s House

    Old Town·House museum·€

    An 18th-century Muslim family house, preserved as a museum, with its courtyards and furnished rooms.

    Glođina 8Explore View on map

  8. Memories of growing up in war

    War Childhood Museum

    Old Town·Museum·€

    A museum of objects and memories shared by people who were children during the siege.

    Logavina 32Explore View on map

Galleries 3

Art and memorials.

  1. Contemporary art collection

    Ars Aevi

    Skenderija·Contemporary art

    A collection of contemporary art donated by international artists, shown in the Skenderija centre.

    Explore View on map

  2. In memory of Srebrenica

    Galerija 11/07/95

    Centre·Memorial gallery·€

    A memorial gallery dedicated to the victims of Srebrenica in July 1995, by the cathedral.

    Trg Fra Grge Martića 2Explore View on map

Stage & screen 8

Theatre and film.

  1. Concerts and festivals

    Bosnian Cultural Centre

    Centre·Concert hall·€

    A concert and performance hall in a former synagogue, used for concerts and festivals.

    Explore View on map

  2. A small theatre with a big history

    Kamerni Teatar 55

    Centre·Theatre·€

    A chamber theatre on Maršala Tita, which kept performing during the siege.

    Maršala Tita 55Explore View on map

  3. Arthouse cinema

    Kino Meeting Point

    Skenderija·Cinema·€

    An arthouse cinema by the river, a home of the Sarajevo Film Festival.

    Hamdije Kreševljakovića 13Explore View on map

  4. Arthouse by the river

    Kriterion art cinema

    Old Town·Cinema·€

    A small arthouse cinema and café-bar on the riverside near the Latin Bridge.

    Obala Kulina bana 2Explore View on map

  5. Drama, opera and ballet

    National Theatre

    Old Town·Theatre, opera & ballet·€€

    The National Theatre of 1899 on the Miljacka, home to drama, opera and ballet.

    Obala Kulina bana 9Explore View on map

  6. Every August

    Sarajevo Film Festival

    Sarajevo·Film festival·€

    The leading film festival of South-East Europe, held every August since 1995.

    Explore View on map

  7. Born during the siege

    Sarajevo War Theatre (SARTR)

    Centre·Theatre·€

    A theatre founded in 1992 during the siege, now a lively contemporary stage.

    Gabelina 16Explore View on map

  8. Theatre for all ages

    Youth Theatre (Pozorište mladih)

    Old Town·Theatre·€

    A theatre for children and young audiences, with productions for adults too.

    Explore View on map

Explore more of Sarajevo

23 of the best Restaurants14 of the best Cafés11 of the best Bars5 of the best Nightlife19 of the best Hotels30 of the best Sights9 of the best Parks & nature10 of the best ShoppingGetting around Getting around

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