Meštrović's Crikvine are located near the Meštrović Gallery, right by the sea. In 1939, Ivan Meštrović and his brother Petar bought Kaštelet Capogrosso with the intention of repurposing it. The eastern part of the complex was designated for residential use, although it houses the small Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Ivan Meštrović transformed the western part of the complex into an exhibition space. He displayed wooden sculptures with themes from the life of Jesus Christ in the main exhibition hall (today's Church of St. Cross).

Ivan Meštrović did not like the widespread name of ‘Kaštelet’ for this sacred-artistic ensemble. Besides the existing Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel and the newly built Church of St. Cross, he believed that there were remnants of old churches – Crikvine, on that land, and he mentioned this name in his donation deed.

The Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments is one of the oldest Croatian museums with an archaeological heritage of around 20,000 artifacts. It is the only museum in Croatia founded with the task of researching and presenting the remnants of the Croatian heritage from the medieval period, especially the early medieval Croatian state from the 9th to the 12th century. In addition to its regular activities, the Museum conducts numerous archaeological investigations of ancient Croatian sites and has an extensive exhibition and publishing activity.

In 1968, a decision was made to build the Museum building at its current location in Meje. It was constructed based on the design of architect Mladen Kauzlarić and was officially opened on December 5, 1976.

Construction works on the building began in the late 1920s, following sculptor Ivan Meštrović’s ideas, developed by architects Lavoslav Horvat and Harold Bilinić. From 1931 to 1939, the works continued on the eastern and western wings of the building, which included a studio, workshops, residential quarters, and a central hall. After that, landscaping was completed and Mediterranean plants were planted. However, the artist did not get the chance to enjoy his villa much – after the Italian occupation of the city, it was mainly inhabited by his friends and relatives. In 1952, through a donation act, Meštrović gave four of his properties and 132 artworks to the Croatian people. The Gallery keeps his masterpieces made of marble, bronze, plaster, and wood. In addition to the museum material, the Gallery also preserves the documentation about the life and work of Ivan Meštrović, including his family archive with letters and documents from family members.