Marking the formal beginning of Croatia’s 2018. Night of the Museums event was the ceremonial unveiling of the “Croatian Hawk” exhibition of the Croatian Sports Museum. By placing the exhibition within the old home of the Croatian Hawks, the exhibition marked the 140th anniversary of the first issue of Croatia’s oldest magazine dedicated to physical exercise and sports, “Hawk” in 1878, as well as the 135th anniversary of the construction and opening of Croatia’s first sports venue, the hall of the Croatian Hawk in Zagreb in 1883.

The Croatian Hawk society, founded in 1874 gathered, by the beginning of the First World War, 180 societies and 20.000 members, thereby representing the largest movement that combined sports, encouragement of physical exercise and advancement of social issues in Croatia. Their home, Zagreb’s sports hall popularly referred to as the “Hawkery” is one of the oldest sports venues in Europe that retains an almost original appearance and which continues to serve its original intended purpose as a venue for physical exercise.

135 years after its construction, the hall of the Croatian Hawks continues to produce exceptional gymnasts

This long tradition was aptly demonstrated during the opening of the Night of the Museums and the “Croatian Hawk” exhibition when gymnasts of the Croatian physical exercise society “Croatian Hawk”, led by Tin Srbić, the gold medallist of the Gymnastics World Championships, demonstrated the fact that, 135 years after its construction, the hall of the Croatian Hawks continues to produce exceptional gymnasts.