War Childhood Museum

The War Childhood Museum at Logavina 7 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, tells the story of the 1992-1996 siege and war through the objects and recollections of people who were children at the time. It grew out of a book project by Jasminko Halilović, who asked people for one object and a short story from their wartime childhood, and it opened as a museum in 2017. The exhibition is small and quiet, built around personal items such as toys, school notebooks, clothing, letters, photographs and improvised household objects, each accompanied by a short testimony that explains what the object meant. Visitors move through glass cases and walls of text, with audio and video recordings of survivors in English and Bosnian. Themes include shelter in cellars, hunger and humanitarian aid, losing family members, school during the siege, and the long-term effects of war on young people. The museum received international recognition, including a special commendation at the Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2018. A visit takes about one hour. The mood is sober, and many visitors find the quiet personal testimonies more moving than large historical displays. The museum is a short uphill walk of about eight minutes from Baščaršija, on a quiet street near Svrzo's House. Mid-morning is usually calm, while afternoons can be busier with tour groups. Entry costs around 15 KM, and visitors should check current hours at warchildhood.org. A small shop sells books and items supporting the museum's work. Younger children may find the content upsetting, so parents should decide based on the child's age.