Viktorija Durbešić was born in Zagreb in 1933. She graduated from the Classics High School and the Faculty of Philosophy of Zagreb University, ethnology major. The Durbešić-Grobnički family stemmed from the ancient Croatian nobility, the name Grobnički coming from their estate at Grobničko polje near Rijeka.
Her first job was in the Museum of the Revolution of the Peoples of Croatia in Zagreb (1961-1980), where she put on several well received exhibitions, such as El Shatt, 1966; Revolutionary Zagreb, 1975; Liberation of Zagreb; Tito, Party and Revolution, 1977. Her master’s dissertation was concerned with the promotion of the cultural and historical heritage that is kept in museum and gallery institutions, and her degree was granted in 1976. She was a member of the Museum Council of Croatia, the Commission for the Restoration and Conservation of Monuments of Culture of the Republican Fund for the Advancement of Cultural Activity, a member of the editorial board of the Vijesti muzealaca i konzervatora of Croatia, and a member of the Republican Commission for defining professional ranks.
Her last position was in the Croatian Schools Museum in Zagreb, where she was director for some time.
She is the author of many articles and gave lectures at museum officers’ conferences and symposia. She was the first museum worker in Croatia to deal with issues of museum education and public relations.

NB. Data taken from the questionnaire, material taken from the Personnel Archives of the MDC, and from an interview recorded on April 18, 2005.