By the 1980s, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had benefitted from decades of economic growth that left it wealthier than any time before or since. Good trade relationships with the West created a consumer culture found in no other communist country at the time. The Republic of Croatia, being among the most industrialized parts of the federation, became especially wealthy, and quite a few older people there still feel "Yugo-nostalgia" to this day.

The Zagreb 80s Museum is a house museum that showcases what a typical apartment in the city looked like at the time, including many of the foreign and domestic goods families would have had access to. Some may be surprised at the sheer variety of such items, including Atari and Commodore 64 video game consoles, casino games, and even early personal computers. And unlike most other museums, this one actually allows visitors to touch the displays.