The main activity of the Museum consists of the collection, storage, processing and display of technical objects of cultural significance in order to preserve heritage.
The action of the Ethnographic Museum Split is directed at preserving and promoting the value of traditional culture. This term covers the objects and practices specific to the social circle, which is the social, cultural and historical importance established by the relevant scientific institutions. Activities include the systematic collection of the Museum, technical and scientific analysis, appropriate storage and presentation of tangible cultural heritage, as well as reconstructive manifestations of intangible heritage practices.

The museum has a library, Conservator and Conservation Department, restoration workshops, pedagogical section, professional archives and photo-video-audio collection. The museum depot today where about objects collected over the past century, mostly from Croatian territory, divided into several thematic collections. The main practical problem that museum staff are facing the question of adequate space for the depot, which imposes selective in the acquisition of the object, which is consequently limited range of display certain heritage topics. Collections stored in the depot are the following: Art Collection, Collection of lace collection of European and non-European subjects, collection of musical instruments, collection of Adriatic costumes, collection of household inventory, collection of museological aids, collection of gold jewelry, silver jewelry collection, collection of costumes of the Dalmatian hinterland, collection of costumes Kosovo and Macedonia, collection of costumes of Slavonia and Baranja, collection of costumes central Croatian, collection of customs, collection of weapons, collection of furnishings, a collection of reconstructed costumes, collection of souvenirs, collection chest, collection of textiles from Bosnia and Herzegovina, collection of carpets, collection of traditional economy, collection of traditional handicrafts and the collection of samples berths.

In addition to their primary foraging-exhibition activities, the Museum deals with the issue of professional olds "Ethnologica Dalmatica", exhibition catalogs and related publications, as well as organizing workshops, scientific conferences and lectures; their actions established himself as one of the fundamental institutions of local social, cultural and scientific scene.

The museum is housed in the former home of the Split noble family Božićević, based in the southeastern quadrant of the Palace. This building belongs to the early medieval Split palaces whose deepest architectural layers dating back to ancient times. It was built below the main street, south of the Peristyle with the church. Andrew de Fensetris, on the site of the former Diocletian cubicula - private imperial bedroom.

The founder of the Museum of the engineer Kamilo Toncic pl. Sorinjski (.). He was director of the School of Crafts in Split, in youth and throughout life he collected various ethnographic artifacts; Through these activities, aware of the importance and the need for the collection, preservation and presentation of heritage objects. Thanks Tončićevo engagement, space Crafts School (Bartulica house in Split village Lučac) has since 1907 become the forerunner of the autonomous museum where the objects preserved and occasionally exhibited. The event that marked the formal opening of the Museum (then called Regional Museum of Folk Arts & Crafts) took place on July 3, 1910. It is the opening of the Great Exhibition of handicrafts, which grew into the first permanent exhibition and as such constituted the foundation of the museum that we know today.

The headquarters of the Museum remained in the School of Crafts until 1919, when, together with the school, he moved into the building vocational schools (today Technical School) located in the Split area Lovret. Next migration took place in 1924, when the museum was renamed the National Museum (the name of the Ethnographic Museum stabilized around 1945), separated from the Crafts School and moved to the Town Hall at People's Square. There he remained until 2004, when it moved to its current location in Diocletian's Palace.