On “International Museum Day,” May 18, 2023, at the solemn assembly of the Museum Society of Serbia in Aranđelovac, the “Mihailo Valtrović” award was presented to the author of the permanent ethnographic exhibition at the National Museum in Vranje, titled “Vranje City House from the Late 19th and Early 20th Century.”

The award was given to our colleague, Iva Laković, an ethnologist and senior curator, as recognition for her exceptional dedication and effort in conceiving, designing, and realizing the permanent ethnological exhibition in the Selamluk building.

The committee provided the following justification:

“In March 2022, a new permanent exhibition of the National Museum in Vranje was inaugurated in the renovated building of Pašin Konaci. This marked the first comprehensive adaptation, revitalization, and refurbishment of the museum’s building, accompanied by the creation of a permanent exhibition.

The simultaneous adaptation of the museum building and the arrangement of the permanent exhibition represent an extraordinary combination of presenting movable cultural heritage held by the museum with a cultural monument as the backdrop for the exhibition.

The author of the concept for this ethnographic exhibition is senior curator Iva Laković, who managed to provide insight into Vranje’s past at the turn of two centuries through a combination of traditional, modern, and innovative approaches to the exhibition. The exhibition represents a fusion of oriental and European, traditional and modern, combining two centuries, the old and the new. It is housed in the Selamluk, one of the two buildings of Pašin Konaci, which gives it a distinctive character and offers a unique experience for visitors as they explore the past in its original ambiance.”