Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding is located in a protected cultural and historical whole of Betina, in the building of cultural, historical and architectural importance. Today the Museum building combines elements of modern and traditional. Permanent exhibition is located inside habitat of the stone architectural complex, linked with the old brick terrace, paved the same way that it was done during the 19th century.
Museum owns 435 objects, and 268 of them are exhibits in Museum’s permanent exhibition. The permanent exhibition shows the history and use of traditional wooden boat in Betina and the complete wooden shipbuilding story since its beginning in the 18th century until present day. The main theme of the creation process of the exhibition and its interpretation was a journey from abstract to concrete and from simple to complex distinguished by individualized and personalized skills. The form of building and the room layout greatly influenced the design setup which was challenging to overpass. The space is divided into six exhibition rooms, in two parts of the building, on three floors connected with a central gallery forming an effective use of space also with recordings on big screens creating the image of the society from the time wooden boat had an irreplaceable part in everyday lives of the townspeople from Betina and Murter.
There are shipbuilding tools, as well as the everyday items gathered from private collections of local people witnessing the customs and the culture of the village. The island of Murter is specific by the fact that the majority of the estates of its inhabitants isn’t located on the island but on the nearby islands, the area surrounding Vrana Lake and the Kornati archipelago. In the Museum you will see exactly why did the islanders think of the ship as part of the family, what needs was the boat required to meet and what was its purpose.
