The most beautiful winter attraction in Sarajevo.
97 days of enchantment with light magic.
During the winter, the magnificent Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes a magical place full of dazzling light and a must see attraction for Sarajevo citizens and visitors of all generations.
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The Sarajevo Light Festival brings attractive light installations inspired by the ambiance of the Botanical Garden and the natural but also cultural and historical treasures that are stored in the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Modelled after some similar lightscaping experiences seen in a number of botanical gardens around the world, the Sarajevo Light Festival at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a unique event staged in this region.
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It is conceived as a light park where visitors will experience moments of inspiration and true happiness.
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The first edition of the Sarajevo Light Festival at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina takes place from 25 November 2023 (Bosnia and Herzegovina's Statehood Day) to 1 March 2024 (Bosnia and Herzegovina's Independence Day).
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This also coincides with the period of the winter holiday season in Bosnia and Herzegovina, when, in addition to these two extremely important dates for the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a considerable number of religious holidays are also celebrated by the peoples who live in this country.
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We can say that it is exactly the light, in the broadest sense of the term, that brings all these holidays together, and the Sarajevo Light Festival itself will be an event that aspires to "illuminate" all these important milestones of Bosnian and Herzegovinian culture and traditions.
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Winter is the time of the year when the days get shorter and the nights get longer, and the Sarajevo Light Festival staged at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is aimed at becoming an event that will illuminate „Sarajevo's long winter nights“.
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An immensely rich light installation has been put in place at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is developed mainly in the studios of the most prestigious and the largest European company known for the production of festival lighting decorations - the Austrian MK Illumination.
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Light decorations illuminate the facade of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while hundreds of thousands of flashing light lamps and hundreds of light sculptures enrich the Botanical Garden of the Museum, which is one of the most beautiful public spaces situated in the City of Sarajevo, — a delightful and hidden oasis of greenery in the heart of Sarajevo.
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This year's exhibition will be focused specifically on the flora and fauna of this country, and in particular those species that are at the brink of extinction.
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Thus, the Botanical Garden is filled with light sculptures reminiscent of the swarms of bees and kaleidoscopes of butterflies, flocks of birds and schools of fish, an army of frogs, a bale of turtles, a cornucopia of colourful flowers and plants... but also hundreds of thousands of flashing lights placed on the trees and plants, seamlessly blending into the environment and enhancing it, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere.
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The focus is also on the cultural and historical repository found in the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is why the decorative elements taken from typical Bosnian carpets have been staged in a distinct way, while representative samples of Bosnian Medieval Age tombstones called stećaks are illuminated with the rays of light.
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Some interesting legends also typical for these regions, including the tales about fairies and some luminous, magical creatures, will also be narrated through the magic of light.
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Some of the captivating scenes are enriched also by sound effects created in the studio of the music producer and DJ Mirza Rahmanović, better known by his artistic name Indigo.
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In addition to premium light elements staged by MK Illumination, which is a company that enriches with its light installations a number of other various spaces all over the world, the Sarajevo Light Festival also showcases works created by some other prominent and world renowned artists.
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With great pride, as part of its first edition, the Sarajevo Light Festival presents the exhibition installation called „Birdz“, staged by the French light artists group TILT – an installation which is also staged at the same time in other major cities such as London, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
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A special attraction will be the spectacular video installation called „Stellar Gates – Hidden World“, which explores light as a source of life that gives birth to all living creatures on our planet.
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The Sarajevo Light Festival at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is intended for everyone who loves and wants to enjoy beauty.
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The idea is to design this event as an attraction for citizens of Sarajevo, but also for tourists who visit the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina and who want to add some winter magic to their „bucket list“ in the beautiful garden of the most distinctive Museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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It is a „Fairy-tale Garden“ for those youngest, who will gaze with childlike delight at the „miracles of light“ and give free rein to their imagination.
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But also it is a meeting point for those who are a bit older, who will want to take selfies amidst this fairy-tale landscape, or shoot a video clip and post it on various social networks, because the Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be a wonderful winter backdrop.
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This place is also meant for those who would like to chill out in midst of a beautiful scenery after having a long and hard day, for those who enjoy outdoor walks, but also for those who want to experience the rich culture and tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a completely different way.
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It is a definite truth that there is nearly no person in the world who would not be attracted to light and who will not be amazed by the winter ambiance in the Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, illuminated with hundreds of thousands of colourful lights.
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Dear visitors,
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Welcome to the first edition of the Sarajevo Light Festival staged at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, between 25 November 2023 and 1 March 2024.
