Museum of the Krapina Neanderthal

Zagorje


Those with kids should make a beeline to this brilliant museum which explores the history of the universe, earth and humanity, as well as highlighting the story of Krapina's famous 1899 Neanderthal fossil-bone find through a series of fun, colourful and high-tech exhibits. Everything from the big bang to Neanderthal daily life, their demise and the rise of Homo sapiens is covered, with interesting displays on how the excavation site was found, too.

Those with more than a passing interest in the Neanderthals may be a tad disappointed as there's very little of the actual find (which encompassed over 800 fossils) on display. Although it's one of the richest Neanderthal sites in the world, and of great scientific importance, much of the find was bone fragments, making it not the most exciting of exhibits for the layperson. One room in the museum does, however, display Neanderthal skulls from every important site across the world.

Outside the museum, you can walk up the leafy hill where the remains were found, today marked by a sculpture of Neanderthals wielding clubs.