Sixty years ago, more precisely on 28 August 1949, Croatian Ministry of Health founded the Balneological and Climatological Institute as a result of a long-term endeavor and attempts to provide Croatia with an institution of this type, already existing in many European countries. In 1953, the Institute came under the management of the Yugoslav Academy of Arts and Sciences/YAAS [today Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and became the Department of Balneoclimatology of the Medical Research Institute of YAAS. In 1958, it was transferred to the Medical School of the University of Zagreb, continuing to function first as the Institute of Balneoclimatology and Physical Therapy and, since 1963, as the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In spite of financial difficulties and occasional lack of understanding from the officials in this field, significant contributions have been made to balneology during this time, justifying the need for such an institution. On 15 April 2008, the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation became Department for Balneoclimatology, under the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health of Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Rockfellerova 4, Zagreb.