The zoo and nature Museum in split appeared thanks to donated to the city in the early twentieth century several valuable collections. Professor Umberto Girometta in 1923 raised the question of the creation of the Museum of natural history. Municipal Council split took this issue into consideration and in 1924 he founded the first Museum, and Girometta became its leader until his death in 1939.

In the first years of its existence, the Museum was located in one of the municipal buildings in the heart of the city. Soon the premises was not enough, and the Museum moved into one of the buildings of the Park-forest Marjan. Along with the Museum was opened a small zoo, representing some species of native and exotic animals. For the first on the territory of the former Yugoslavia Aquarium next to the Museum building was built with extra room. Several years later, the Aquarium was closed and converted into a small terrarium. Today the zoo is split in more than 300 species of animals.

The building in the Park of Marjan on the war of 1991 was closed for security reasons. Then the Museum moved into the fortress Gripe, and after 1997 returned to Marian. After 2000, at the request of employees, the needs of the Museum was allocated a new space, a total area of approximately 1156 square meters, in which the Museum began work in January 2002.

Before opening the new Director of the Museum was reorganized Museum, periactine collection and added several new exposures (e.g., collection of stuffed animals and birds, Department of Geology and paleontology, entomology, Department of vertebrates and invertebrates, etc.). Also carried out work on the processing and systematization of exhibits, field studies in the Central part of Dalmatia, numerous thematic exhibitions in the Museum and outside it. In addition, the Museum staff participate in numerous conferences.

On the first floor of the Museum holds various exhibitions, while the remaining floors are permanent exhibitions. Anyone can purchase in the Museum additional materials on the history of the Museum and local natural history.