The history, present, and future of Kostrena are summarized and connected by the sea. Since the 15th century, when this small place, located on a small peninsula between the Martinščica bay and the Bakar bay, was first mentioned, the sea has shaped the region and its people. Few places on the Adriatic have as many words, customs, and heritage intertwined and infused with the sea and seafaring. After many centuries of sailing the world’s seas, after countless stories written in sea dust and salt, a place that takes pride in its maritime and captain tradition has found a unique space to preserve its heritage – the House of Kostrena Seafarers. It is located in the building of the old public school in St. Barbara, and it offers visitors insight into the rich and valuable maritime historical heritage. The sea in Kostrena means life, and the identity of both the people and the region. If you truly want to understand and experience the essence and soul of the people of Kostrena, to delve into their way of life, be sure to visit the House of Kostrena Seafarers.

The Interpretation Center, the House of Kostrena Seafarers, is a place where you can get to know and understand the people of Kostrena. You can delve into the life and emotions of a seafarer as they embark on a voyage, as well as the emotions of those who stay behind, waiting for them on the Kostrena rock, with eyes fixed on the open sea and hearts filled with one wish – come back home… And when they return from their travels, they will be welcomed by the House, with doors wide open, where we have preserved a small piece of Kostrena’s pebble, sunshine, and a bit of the sky – for when you come, to find it, as Kostrena poet Branka Kržik Longin wrote in her verses.

The project “House of Kostrena Seafarers” uses an interactive approach to present the project of preserving and nurturing cultural and traditional heritage. The House of Kostrena Seafarers presents, in a modern way, the life and role of seafarers in society by answering questions such as who is a seafarer, how they live, what sounds they hear, what they feel, and what they experience, but also what impact they have on society, as traveling the world brings influences from other cultures.

„Navigare necesse est“ – to sail is necessary – reflects the mystical connection between man and the sea, as old as existence itself. When it comes to Kostrena, to sail means to live, because sailing here is a way of life.
The House of Kostrena Seafarers is a heritage institution, an interpretation center that explains the importance of maritime tradition in the area of the current Municipality of Kostrena and recognizes all the material and immaterial heritage in the Municipality of Kostrena related to seafaring, defining it as a development potential that strengthens the identity of the local community.

As part of the project, the reconstruction of the former St. Barbara school building was carried out, and the space was equipped to allow for a modern, innovative, and attractive interpretation of the historical importance of seafaring for the inhabitants of the Kostrena municipality and its surroundings. The ground floor, first floor, and attic were renovated, and the design concept is based on a comparison of the building with what a seafarer sees while sailing.