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The thirty-fourth Žička Spiritual Assembly “Transfiguration 2025” was traditionally opened in the Gallery of the National Museum Kraljevo. The rich and interesting program of this year’s assembly began with the opening of the visiting exhibition “The Journey to the East of King Milan Obrenović: Pilgrimage and Culture of the Orient at the Serbian Court” from the Museum in Smederevo, which depicts King Milan’s journey to the Holy Land after his abdication in 1889, his stay in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas, as well as objects, photographs and documents related to that journey. Then the exhibition “Discreet Hero of Heritage: Milorad Miki Mihailović, Art Historian and Director of the National Museum Kraljevo” was opened, organized on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of his death and as a tribute to a person who permanently improved the cultural and artistic life of Kraljevo.

At the Gallery of the National Museum Kraljevo, an exhibition titled “City Museum Rankovićevo – National Museum Kraljevo: The First Thirty Years of Work” has been opened, organized to mark the 75th anniversary of the museum’s existence. The exhibition features representative objects and archival materials that testify to the founding, development, and activities of the museum during its first three decades. The display emphasizes the importance of the museum as a cultural institution of great significance for the city and the region.

The book “Exclamations of Sincere Enthusiasm: The Ephemeral Spectacle and Journey of King Alexander and Queen Draga Obrenović through Serbia in 1901” describes the journey of King Alexander and Queen Draga Obrenović through central and western Serbia in 1901. The authors interpret this event as an ephemeral spectacle – a deliberate and carefully orchestrated occasion aimed at strengthening the connection between the royal court and the people. The monograph offers an engaging and emotional analysis of a political-social performance.

The Jubilee 50th Children’s May Art Salon was marked by two exhibitions: one showcasing a retrospective of children’s works from its founding until 2024, and the current Salon featuring artwork from 2025. At the formal opening ceremony, in honor of the anniversary, a historical overview of the event was presented, and the awards for this year’s selected winners were ceremoniously handed out.

The program “Stories from Captivity” presented the most diverse fates of military and civilian prisoners of war from Second World War. In addition to interesting lectures on the concentration camp system and the conditions in the Kraljevo area after the occupation, the gathering provided insight into the difficult fate of ordinary people in captivity. Family stories of descendants, emotions, family photographs and documents brought to life tragic, but also inspiring stories of survival.

The exhibition by Gordana Kaljalović Odanović “Imaginary Library”, which opened at the National Museum Kraljevo, represents a sculptural dialogue with the book as a symbol of culture, knowledge, and memory. Through installations, objects, and interventions on books, the artist merges the visual and the verbal, material and idea, exploring the relationships between text, form, and space. Her works reveal layers of personal and collective memories, history, and artistic exploration, in an ongoing dialogue between literature and sculpture.

Natasa Cerović, senior curator of the National Museum of Serbia and one of the authors of the exhibition, presented to the audience, in an inspiring and professional manner, a rich display of metal utensils that testify to the culture of dining, the influences of the East and the West, as well as everyday life in different eras.

The Regular Spring Assembly of the National Committee of ICOM Serbia was held in the Gallery of the National Museum Kraljevo, on Saturday, March 22nd, 2025. The session was opened by the president of the National Committee of ICOM Serbia Tatjana Mihailović, PhD. In addition to the adoption of the document, the separate issue of issue 20 of the journal of the National Committee of ICOM Serbia was presented, experiences from last year’s ICOM SEE conference in Kikinda were presented, and a new working group for museum management – INTERCOM, was established, which will operate within the framework of the National Committee of ICOM Serbia.

The professional conference “Museums on the Internet” was held in the Gallery of the National Museum Kraljevo, on Friday, March 21st, 2025, as part of the Regular Spring Assembly of the National Committee of ICOM Serbia. Museums on the Internet play a key role in contemporary museology and communication with the public. Digital technologies have enabled museums to expand their visibility, provide access to their collections and provide an interactive experience to visitors, regardless of their physical location. Through interesting presentations and dynamic discussions, participants exchanged experiences and presented best practices in the digital presentation of museums.

The documentary-fiction film “The Cross from Kosovo”, produced by the Genocide Victims’ Museum, follows the fate of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija throughout history, with a special emphasis on the suffering during World War II. Through documentary segments and feature reconstructions, testimonies and historical sources are presented that shed light on the persecution of Serbs, the destruction of cultural and religious heritage, as well as the tragic events that marked this area. In addition to the film, Nikola Miloševski, curator of the Genocide Victims’ Museum in Belgrade, gave a lecture entitled “Crimes Against Serbs and Jews in Kosovo and Metohija during World War II”.