Exhibition "Selected from the Collection of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences"

The National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences celebrates International Museum Day, May 18, 2026, with the opening of the temporary exhibition "Selected from the Collection of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences".

The exhibition presents 26 exhibits with their short stories, illustrated by three animal artists from the Society of Animalists, Florists and Scientific Illustrators (DAFNI) - Georgi Pchelarov, Senior Assistant Professor Dr. Asen Ignatov and Denitsa Peneva.

The centuries-old history of the oldest museum in Bulgaria, the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, is closely connected with the history of the Third Bulgarian State and the development of natural sciences in our country. It began with the arrival of Prince Ferdinand I in Bulgaria in 1887, when he brought from Vienna his valuable collections of tropical birds and butterflies from Central Europe, the result of his scientific interests in the fields of ornithology, entomology and botany.

Since then, new collections with specimens of living and non-living nature from all over the world have been constantly added to these first collections, which now exceed one million and two hundred thousand specimens.

Today, each exhibit in the museum's collection has its own story, intertwined with the destinies of discoverers and researchers, with journeys to all continents of the earth, and for some - even to the Moon.

For us, these stories are not finished. They are pages from the great book of nature and are written every day with the participation of new authors - scientists, researchers and discoverers.

Since 1977, on May 18, employees of museums and galleries around the world celebrate their professional holiday.

Traditionally, on this day, the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences offers all its visitors free access to the exhibition.

Opening: May 18, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Location: The National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 4th floor

Source: NMNHS