The instrument collection
The holdings of the player Ivan Salghetti Drioli โ the best permanent thing in the building.
It depends on the exhibition. The permanent collection alone โ the instruments above all โ justifies an hour, but a large part of the space is given to rotating shows. Check the programme: the difference between an excellent visit and a flat one is decided by what is on the walls that day.
The old town is small and entirely walkable. Start at the Roman forum and St Donatus, take in the palace, then finish on the waterfront at the sea organ and the sun salutation near sunset โ that is the natural order of a Zadar day.
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The seat of Zadar's government through centuries of Venetian rule and after it, restored and reopened as a cultural centre and exhibition space. The building itself is layered: it was built, rebuilt and extended repeatedly, and that shows in how the stone and the arches change from one part to another. The modern restoration left those differences visible rather than hiding them, so you read the building's history in its walls. Among its permanent holdings the standout is a collection of musical instruments belonging to the noted Zadar player Ivan Salghetti Drioli, an unexpected thing to find in an administrative palace and worth the time. The rest is temporary exhibitions and concerts, which means what you see changes. Check the programme before visiting: the value swings widely between a strong show and a near-empty space. It sits in the heart of the old town near the Roman forum and the church of St Donatus, so it is visited as part of a walk through the centre.
The holdings of the player Ivan Salghetti Drioli โ the best permanent thing in the building.
The restoration left the building's layers visible rather than smoothing them over.
The Roman forum, the sea organ and the sun salutation are all walkable from here.
Old town, Zadar