About the museum:
In 2005, Sergio Gobbo, a designer and photographer from Grožnjan in Istria, expanded his activity to include the study of Austro-Hungarian maritime history. In 2007, his efforts brought about the inauguration of a private museum – Gallerion Gallery – in Novigrad.
The gallery's permanent exhibition displays some 50 large (up to 3 m), and more than 300 small, models of ships. There are also items related to navigation such as navigational instruments, books, and other items on display.
The aim of the gallery/collection is to present the last 200 years of history related to navigation and navies in the region: ships, men, naval bases, shipyards, industry, education, modern technologies, protection of natural resources, and other essential requirements for the development of a maritime tradition in the Adriatic Sea (an important intersection of maritime and land routes in central and south-eastern Europe).
The collection exhibits the maritime history and tradition of an area where different regional influences overlap, from 1797 (when the Peace of Campo Formio was signed and Venice, together with its territories, was turned over to Austria) to the present day (or more precisely, when Croatia joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
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