Bulgaria Attractions :: Museums in Bulgaria

Like any capital city, Sofia, Bulgaria, is rich in museums and culture. Sofia' s skyline is dominated by the gold domes of the Alexander Nevski Memorial Church, built in honor of Bulgaria's War of Liberation. Its lavish exterior is surpassed by the frescoed interior and splendid iconostasis...

Museums in Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia's museums are almost exclusively Bulgaria-oriented and are aimed at chronicling the conflicting fortunes of this once great empire, the peoples that have passed through it from Thracians through Greeks, Romans and Turks, and the lives of the Bulgarians themselves in recent centuries. They can provide a fascinating insight into the Balkan Peninsula. Entrance fees are laughably low so there's no excuse not to visit them.

The Alexander Nevski Crypt - Sofia

Address: 1, St. Alexander Nevski, Sq. 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria; phone: ++359 2 877 697
Hours: 10.30 - 12.30/14.00 - 18.30; Closed on Tuesdays.
Craftsmen and artists worked for thirty years to create this enormous church, where nearly 300 mural paintings and decorative finishes in marble, onyx, alabaster and gold can be admired. In the crypt beneath, a large exhibition of icons from all over Bulgaria is effectively displayed. The crypt museum was founded in 1965 and contains items from the very beginnings of Bulgarian iconography (the end of the 9th century) until the end of the 19th century. All stages of the Bulgarian iconography school are represented in a collection of 1500 items.

National History Museum - Sofia

Address: 16 Vitoshko Str., Sofia 1618, Bulgaria; phone: ++359 2 884 160
Hours: 09.30 - 18.30; No day off
The museum covers the whole period from prehistory to the present day. The ground floor houses relics from the earliest period up to the Middle Ages and includes gold and silver treasures (the Panagyurishte treasure), ceramics and archaeological remains. The first floor concentrates on ecclesiastical art, the 19th century Bulgarian National Revival including folk costumes, carpets and typically furnished rooms from that period.

Archaeological Museum - Sofia

Address: 2, Saborna St. 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria; phone:++359 2 882 406
Hours: 10.00 - 12.00/ 14.00 - 18.00; Closed on Mondays.
Remains of Thracian, Greek and Roman settlements in the ivy-clad 15th century 'Buyuk(Big)Mosque'.

The Earth and Man Museum - Sofia

Address: Tcherni Vrah Blvd. 4, 1420 Sofia, Bulgaria; phone: ++359 2 656 639
Hours: 10.00 - 18.00; Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Founded in 1986. Over 20,000 exhibits are on display, divided into six sections: Giant Crystals, Minerals of the Earth, Industrial Minerals, Raw Material Sources of Bulgaria, Gems, New Materials. The museum also holds art exhibitions and classical music evenings.

National Natural History Museum - Sofia

Address: Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. 1, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria; Phone: ++359 2 874 195
Hours: 10.00 - 19.00; No day off.
The museum was founded in 1889 and opened to visitors in 1907. Nowadays the museum has three major sections: Geology, Zoology and Botany. Apart from several meteorites, the 'Earth and Space' exhibition features unique lunar samples and an impressive dinosaur skeleton. A special exhibition shows live pythons, crocodiles, and iguanas.

Ethnographical Museum - Sofia

Address: 6A, Moskovska St., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria; Phone: ++359 2 874 191
Hours: 10.30 - 17.30; Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The museum displays folk costumes, fabrics, jewellers,woodcuttings, hammered ironwork, etc. A small craft shop sells crafts, costumes and musical instruments from all over Bulgaria.

St. Nikolai Russian Church - Sofia

Address: corner of Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. and Rakovski St.
The prettiest church in Sofia is the so-called Russian Church, St. Nicholas, on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard. Its bright yellow tiled exterior, gilded domes and emerald green spire contrast with its dark interior. Built in 1912 by Russian workmen, this church preserves the style of Moscow decorative arts, painting and architecture. The high dome is surrounded by four smaller domes. The roof of the church and above the door are covered with green majolica tiles, which harmonize perfectly with the gold-plated domes.