Ethnographic Museum, city of Varna

One of the most interesting museums of the sea capital of Bulgaria, the Ethnographic museum, is situated in a house belonging to the age of Revival, which was built around 1860. The ethnographic museum was established in 1974.

The museum presents the rich variety in culture and style of life of the population in Varna region from the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Basic occupations of the population – agriculture and stock-breeding, apiculture, fishing, vine-culture, and the crafts – cooperage, copper-making, furriery and homespun tailoring (manufacturing of a rough woolen fabric) are presented on the first floor of the museum.

One of the most interesting exponents in the museum is the small ancient plough called “dyolmedzha”, used for ploughing of earth in the beginning of the 20th century. Vessels for storing of grain, as well as for preparing of bread are also exposed.

Two labor customs, related to sowing and harvesting are also presented in the exposition.

The exposition on the second floor presents traditional national costumes, which give an idea about the demographic look of the Varna region. The people’s clothes in the settlements in the region differentiate with their great variety, due to the complex migration processes, which happened in the first decades and the end of the 19th century. Traditional costumes of each of the basic geographic groups in the region are presented here – local population and settlers from the Thracian region, Asia Minor and Macedonia. The traditional costumes for the customs – Christmas, Petlyovden, Lazarovden is also presented.

Here you can get familiar with basic elements of the typical Bulgarian wedding – taking of the bride from her home, a sleigh with gifts, etc.

Information materials and souvenirs are sold in the museum.