The Historical Collection was formed in 1962 with the aim of collecting, preserving, and presenting objects of significance for the history of the Bijelo Polje region. The initial fund consisted of a collection of various firearms donated to the Museum by the Bijelo Polje Police Station. Other objects were acquired through purchase, donation, and field collection. The collection chronologically continues from the Archaeological Collection and covers the period from:
- the Middle Ages,
- the period of Ottoman military and administrative rule,,
- the Balkan Wars and the First World War,,
- the Second World War,,
- the post-war period..
Today, the collection comprises around 1,200 objects.
Collection content
Middle Ages Objects:
- traditional tools and weapons (ploughshare, axe, mace, etc.),
- a chainmail shirt and associated equipment.
Ottoman rule, the Balkan Wars, and the First World War
Represented objects:
- cold and firearms: sabres, yataghans, swords, daggers,
- rifles: flintlocks, percussion-cap rifles, short guns (“kubure”),
- pistols: “gaseri”,
- brigade flags, documents, and propaganda material.
Second World War
Armament and equipment of the National Liberation War (NOB) and occupying forces:
- rifles: “Kragujevkas,” German rifles, Italian rifles,
- a light machine gun, a “Schmeisser” submachine gun, a Mauser pistol,
- helmets, mess kits, personal belongings of fighters, holsters, bags,
- stamps, seals, cameras, and typewriters.
Post-war period
- diplomas, albums, and photographs from national holidays, celebrations, and ceremonies.
Cultural significance
The Historical Collection represents a valuable source for the study of:
- social and political changes,
- military conflicts and historical turning points,
- everyday life and the material culture of the local population.
Through its content, the collection documents events, individuals, and social processes that have shaped the history of Bijelo Polje and the wider region.
Protection
Due to its cultural and historical value, the Historical Collection was entered in 1962 into the Register of Movable Cultural Monuments of the People’s Republic of Montenegro and is under legal protection.