The first international exhibition of Skull C
Skull C – World Paleoanthropological Heritage
An interdisciplinary museum, scientific, and educational project of the Croatian
Natural History Museum dedicated to one of the most significant fossil finds in its
collection — Skull C, also known as Krapina 3.
Exhibition Information
Skull C – World Paleoanthropological Heritage
Croatian Natural History Museum
Museo d’Antichità J.J. Winckelmann, Trieste, Italy
22 May – 16 August 2026
About the Exhibition
The exhibition “Skull C – World Paleoanthropological Heritage”
is an interdisciplinary museum, scientific, and educational project of the Croatian
Natural History Museum dedicated to one of the most significant fossil finds in its
collection — Skull C, or Krapina 3.
It is the most complete and best-known specimen from the Krapina Diluvium Collection,
representing a key reference point in global paleoanthropology and human evolution
research. The exhibition is presented at the Museo d’Antichità J.J. Winckelmann
in Trieste from 22 May to 16 August 2026.
This is the first independent international presentation of Skull C outside the
Republic of Croatia, marking its debut before a wider international audience within
a major European museum institution.
Scientific and Cultural Significance
Krapina Neanderthal site
The Krapina Neanderthal site is one of the most important paleoanthropological
locations in the world, discovered at the end of the 19th century on Hušnjakovo
Hill and excavated between 1899 and 1905 under the direction of Dragutin
Gorjanović-Kramberger.
Age and preservation
The finds are approximately 130,000 years old and are preserved at the Croatian
Natural History Museum in Zagreb.
World importance
The Krapina collection is the largest assemblage of Neanderthal remains from
a single site in the world, with Skull C being its most prominent specimen.
Symbolic behaviour
Traces on the frontal bone of Skull C are interpreted in the context of possible
symbolic behaviour.
Exhibition Setup
Original fossil
Specially designed protective case with controlled microclimatic and lighting conditions
Documentary film with visual reconstructions
Expert commentary on Skull C in the context of Neanderthal research
Audience and Program
The exhibition is intended for both the general public and professional audiences
and includes a catalogue as well as accompanying educational and discursive programs.