Formally the newest town on the island Korcula, Vela Luka has been functioning as an organized and independent community for the last 200 years. However, from the evidence it is clear that people lived here even in the prehistoric period. Many findings, discovered on the archaeological sites in this area as silent witnesses to the ancient life that existed here, are as much as 20 000 years old.
You can visit the Cultural center alocated in the very center of the town, consist of a museum, gallery and a town library. The Cultural centre in a renovated Baroque building, the old Kastel summer house, which has a great prehistoric archaeological collection from the nearby (only 130 meters above Vela Luka) Neolithic site Vela spila (Big Cave), and from Roman localities in the surroundings of the town. Gallery Vela Luka, opened in 1983, has many sculptures and paintings by numerous local, Croatian and international artist. Sant Joseph's parish church is a Neoclassical building completed in 1848 and it is just a few steps from the Cultural center. Together they create a magnificent urban structure in the typical Mediterranean spirit.
Ethnographic collection Zlokic has a collection of olive growing and oil located at the entrance of Vela Luka.
The Hum cultural and performing society nurtures music and folk dancing, and choral singing. The town also has many harmony-singing groups. The best-known are klapa Osjak and klapa Greben, whose excellent singing has ensured them success at concerts in Croatia and abroad.