Banjaluka started accepting European culture only after the Austro-Hungarian occupation, because Turkish authorities were suspicious of all European ideas and cultural needs. The largest cultural impact in new Banjaluka - among primary and confessional schools, business school and school for girls - was made by the secondary school known as "Velika realka", which was opened in 1895. Its opening attracted a large number of highly educated professors, real intellectuals. Pupils' and citizens' educational and cultural societies were founded, and they maintained relations with provincial towns. The arrival of Petar Kocic in 1906 marked the beginning of a new historical chapter in the life of Banjaluka. Petar Kocic started publication of two journals, "Otadzbina" (Fatherland) and "Razvitak" (Development), which gathered cultural, literary and political activists. Nowadays, Banjaluka is a university center of Northern Bosnia - Republic of Srpska. As a sign of gratitude to Petar Kocic, the society "Zmijanje" was established in the early 1930s. This society intended to erect a monument of Petar Kocic, and to move his relics to Banjaluka. The monument was made by the sculptors Augustincic and Rados, and it was unveiled on 6th of April 1932. The remains of the writer and national tribune Petar Kocic were not moved to Banjaluka, because his family changed its mind.
Today, Banjaluka is a cultural center. National and university library "Petar Kocic" possess some 150,000 books and 3,500 unique items of large value. The National Theatre was established in 1930. Museums and the Archive, which own important cultural and historical treasures, were established at the same time. There is an Art gallery, and Children theatre as well.

Banja Luka was important cultural center in ex Bosnia and Herzegovina, and today it represents the same in Republic of Serbs. There are a lot of cultural institutions with a long tradition. Professional National Theater has been established in 1930., with Children Theater and Youth Theater "DIS" beside. In last twenty years the greatest progress was made in field of information and publishing. Today in Banja Luka work six TV and ten radio stations, and a number of daily and weekly papers. Banja Luka has always been a headquarter of various cultural associations: of writers, artists, and other professional and amateur associations.

CULTURE CENTER "BANSKI DVOR" 

Banski Dvor Culture Center was built from 1929-1932 as the headquarters of Ban of Vrbas Banovina. From 1955, by the decision of the authorities of that time the building was given to the Culture Center to run it, and from 1998 it has become public cultural institution Banski Dvor' Culture Center' The institution's primary activity is of multi media character that includes: concerts, exhibitions, monodrama performances, video projections, public discussions, lectures, literal manifestations, as well as the activities of clubs and art studios. The interiors of Banski Dvor are very representative, and some of them have preserved the authentic set up, such are the concert hall, the conference hall, and the ceremonial salon. The concert hall gives a unique year this hall is used for over thirty concerts of classic music, of eminent artists and ensembles from all over the country and the world, a numberof exhibitions of local and guest artists, literature evenings, presentations. Poetry and monodrama evenings have been held at least two to three times a week. Culture Center is in fact the place that offers various events on daily basis.

NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA 

National Theatre of the Republic of Srpska was founded in 1930 in Banja Luka as "The National Theatre of Vrbaska Banovina" and since than it has been the carrier of development of drama art in the town, as well as in the whole region. The Theatre's projects have hosted many directors from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis, local and foreign artists, actors, singers, scenographers, costume designers and composers. Especially important cooperation has been with local playwrights whose works have been performed at the repertoire of the Theatre. Today the RS National Theatre has 80 permanent employees and 26 members in the actors' ensemble. Plays are being performed almost every night in a year and tickets are always sold out. One of the biggest and most visited cultural events in the to-,vn is the Theatre Fest, the festhal that has been happening every year in the National Theatre, presenting many local and foreign actors' ensembles. Every visit to the RS National Theatre gives a real pleasure for all lovers of drama.

ART GALLERY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA 

Art Gallery of Republic of Srpska is based in the center of the city, in a building of the former railway station that was reconstructed and adopted for the new needs in 1980. It was founded in 1971 after the Great Earthquake that struck Banja Luka in 1969, thanks to many artists from Yugoslavia and wider that wanted to help the destroyed area. These donated pieces become the basis of the new art gallery. By systematic and professional work the initial fund has enlarged constantly so that the Gallery owns the most complete collection of XX century art of RS. The collection is divided in several coIIections: paintings, sculptures, graphics and drawings, new art media and the foreign collection. Exhibit area of the Gallery is made of permanent set up show room and the show room for guest exhibitions. The concept of the permanent set up enables constant monitoring of the development of art in our region that ranges up from the informal to the Post Modern Art, with the accent on the most valuable works and artists. The show room for guest exhibitions is used for periodical guest exhibitions of different profile and character. Also in the centre of the city in Kralja Alfonsa III Street there is an art gallery where the art lovers can see and buy some works of the most significant artist from Banja Luka and wider.

THE MUSEUM OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA 

The Museum in 131, was founded on 26 September 1930, by the decision of Ban Milosavljevic, with the aim to collect and protect a great number of priceless pieces of historical and artistic value, which had been found in the area. The high level of awareness about the importance for such institutions and huge efforts of the first director, an academic painter, Spiro Bocaric, caused that the "Museum of Vrbaska Banovina" had become the important cultural-historic institution. Until the Second World War, the Museum had gained influence and reputation. The result was numerous exhibitions from all over the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the organization of the Museum, which had ethnographic, pre-historic and historic numismatics, as well as geological-pale ontological collection, the tourist office, the archive and the museum library. The interesting fact is that the Museum of Vrbaska Banovina was the first publisher of a similar publication as the very one in your hands. In 1938 the Museum issued "The Guide of Vrbaska Banovina", printed in four languages. Only three years later, in 1941, begun the bloodiest part of the history. The newly established Independent State of Croatia, one of Hitlers' puppet creations, together with German troops started the series of the most brutal and horrible crimes. The Museum was not spared either. First, the manager Spiro Bocaric was brutally killed, and many collections were confiscated and stolen, and the Museum was renamed and used for needs of the Fascists. In 1945, the Museum was reorganized again and it continued its work under new conditions, it employed new curators, historians, ethnotogists, archeologists, geologist, etc. Following the disintegration of Tito', Yugoslavia, Banja Luka became the capital of RS, and the Museum has become the state institution that is called "The Museum of RS". The Museum has been developing, but also moved for seven times until the present day. it is placed in the building of Dom Solidarnosti 'The House of Solidarity' that was built after the great earthquake in 1969. The Museum has six departments, namely archeological, historical, contemporary art, ethnological, naturalist and the library.

- Library "Petar Kocic" 
- Children's theatre