Preservation and presentation
The planned reconstruction, which will meet the spatial, educational, scientific and other needs of the City Museum, fully respect the historical and architectural values of the building. The volume, the exterior and the load bearing structure will not be changed, and the new features will be introduced into the space with minimum interventions.
A permanent display will form the central part of the palace. Its concept rests on two foundations. The first is made up of stories being told by the painted and ornamented chambers, while the other consists of the Museum’s collections. The permanent display follows the spatial structure of the facility and it contains two aspects. On the first and second floor of the palace, the visitors will be able to learn more about the social and economic history of Rijeka from the 18th century, when Rijeka began to rise as the central European port and an industrial hub, all the way to the end of the 20th century. The second floor will reveal the story about the former industrial compound where the museum will be located. The story encompasses the period of the refinery (18th century – beginning of the 19th century), the period of the tobacco factory (19th century – 20th century) and the period of metal industry, i.e., the Rikard Benčić engine factory (from the mid to the end of the 20th century).
The third floor will provide space for the offices of curators and other staff, while the loft will be reserved for technical rooms and storage. Business and service facilities (the gift shop, info center, tourist office and café bar) will occupy the ground floor, while the museum depot and the library will be placed on the mezzanine floor.
