Установа Спомен-парк Крагујевачки октобар основана је 1953. године, на месту где су немачки војници 21. октобра 1941. године, у страшном злочину стрељали неколико хиљада Крагујевчана, мушкараца, жена и деце.

 

Architects Ivan Antić and Ivanka Raspopović designed the building of Memorial museum October 21^st, which is located at the very entrance to the Memorial park. The Museum was opened on February 15^th 1976. Its mission is to explore, collect and present material about the tragic event utilising different forms and means, in addition to cherishing the memory of innocently executed citizens. Even though the building is functionally museum, structurally it represents a specific monument laden with symbolics. Red bricks should evoke the blood of the murdered patriots, whilst 33 turrets of different or identical heights serve as symbolic links among 30 tombs in Šumarice park and 3 tombs in the neighbouring villages. The lack of windows symbolises the hopeless situation the captives found themselves in, inhumanely condemned to death. Museum foundations are shaped like the Cross, Christian symbol of suffering.

The Museum is composed of two levels. The lower level serve as an art space for various documentary and art exhibitions, promotions, literary evenings, film projections and other activities of the kind. Lower level showcases permanent exhibition Kragujevac 1941 by a painter Petar Lubarda, a legacy the great artist left to the Memorial park. The upper level showcases permanent exhibition called Tragedy of Kragujevac 1941. Its authors are historians Staniša Brkić, Nenad Đorđević, Milan Koljanin, an academic painter Igor Stepančić and academic painter/graphic artist Irena Paunović. Since 1971., a central commemorative manifestation Veliki školski čas (The Great School Lesson) has been held every year in the vicinity of the Monument to Executed Pupils and Professors. Original pacifist works of renowned artists, both foreign and domestic, are performed by reputed actors, opera singers and choires.

Traditional music manifestation entitled The October Pilgrimage (Oktobru hododarje - OKTOH) has been held since 1975. Young artists from Serbia and abroad perform works of renowned composers. A literary and fine arts competition The world doesn’t need another Šumarice, participants of which are schoolchildren of former Yugoslavia, has been organised for more than thirty years. The Award Ceremony is held every November in order to present young authors with prizes for literary works on subjects concerned with children’s rights and anti-war efforts, thus motivating them to reflect on true, ethical issues.

International fine arts colony The Balkan Bridges had been held in Šumarice during the period from 2002. to 2007., whilst in 2008. it was transformed into International Biennial Showcase of Digital Graphic Art. Our institution is trying to encourage the ideas of openness, tolerance, diversity and reconciliation among people. Art programme Vigil has been held in the Memorial museum since October 20^th 2006. A wide repertoire includes literary evenings, lectures, film projections and concerts. Memorial park was declared a cultural good of extraordinary significance on December 27^th 1979.

Memorial park’s mission is to keep and cherish the memory of the tragic event and, in the face of contemporary challenges, raise awareness of the young about it so that past crimes could not happen again.