In a ceremony held tonight in Ban centar in Europski trg in the centre of Zagreb, the Governor of the Croatian National Bank, Boris Vujčić, opened the door to the Moneterra – the Money Museum of the Croatian National Bank.  Governor Vujčić delivered a speech marking the occasion. On behalf of the Prime Minister, Zvonimir Frka-Petešić, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister also gave a speech.  Over two hundred distinguished guests from a variety of fields, from economic, scientific, educational, cultural, political, diplomatic, to financial and business attended the ceremony.     

“Today, the Croatian National Bank is joining a host of central banks operating their money museums or visitors’ or information centres. Through displays of numismatic collections and historical exhibits and employment of different techniques they aim to bring topics related to money, banking and monetary policy closer to the general public.  All the national central banks of the euro area, including the European Central Bank, use this channel too to communicate with their citizens. Although not having a specially allocated space such as this until now, the Croatian National Bank has for a long time launched many information and educational campaigns to improve the financial literacy of the public. In 2023 alone, we gave lectures and held workshops in the CNB for over 10 thousand pupils, students and other visitors. We also had CNB Open Doors Day, drawing over 11 thousand citizens to our institution. Our mobile exhibition Euro on Wheels, held towards the end of 2022 in the framework of the information campaign for the introduction of the euro, drew almost 28 thousand visitors. All this showed us that Croatian citizens of all ages are very much interested in the topics we deal with, from counterfeit detection, consumer protection in banks to pursuit of monetary policy and introduction of digital currencies. The idea behind Moneterra (the land of money) is to bring money and its role closer to citizens in a permanent exhibition hall. Money has existed in all historical periods, irrespective of social, economic and political circumstances, taking different material forms or, in the case of digital records, with no material form. Money is based on our trust in the common idea, and when that trust exists, money promotes the development of communities and their prosperity. Moneterra is not a museum in the standard meaning of the word; rather, it is a place primarily intended to provide simple, up-to-date and stimulating information and lessons about the history of money, banking and the main tasks of central banks. In designing Moneterra, we aimed to present these topics from the perspective of our citizens and to provide the explanations that are relevant and useful to them. I want you to feel at home and welcome in this museum, this land of money, and to enjoy unveiling the history of money, its present and its future, the facts about banking and central banking” said CNB Governor in the ceremony opening the Moneterra.

Sandra Švaljek, Deputy Governor, has added that Moneterra will be a place where the visitors will learn the story about money, its history, use and role in our lives.  “The exhibits, video content, research and games will provide a simple, up-to-date and stimulating information about money, banking, personal finance, monetary policy and the role and tasks of the central banks. We believe that visitors will be able to better grasp information transmitted through the exhibition – be it about personal finance or how we invest or spend money, how banks function, or the tasks and operations of central banks – if we provide them with an explanation of why the world of finance is relevant for them and what advantages and benefits it offers to them. Moneterra, the land of money, got its name from a combination of the word moneta, meaning money and terra, meaning land. This is the story of Moneterra – the Money Museum of the Croatian National Bank, which aims to be an educational centre for our citizens of all ages”, noted the Deputy Governor, adding that entry to the museum will be free.    

To realise the project of Moneterra, the CNB as the contracting authority conducted an open public procurement procedure for the procurement of works, supplies and services. Upon the completion of the procedure, where one group of economic operators that applied fully met the required terms, in early December 2023, the CNB entered into an agreement with the selected group of economic operators.
The cost of the entire subject of procurement of the establishment of the information-education centre is EUR 3 704 172.00, without VAT. The costs include regular maintenance of Moneterra over a period of three years from the date of taking over and an extended guarantee period of two years upon completion of the regular maintenance period.