Museums
THE ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
If you want to see one of the most important and attractive human history discoveries of the 20th century you should visit the Archeological museum in Varna. It is located in the city center, 17 km away from International Hotel Casino & Tower Suites.
Here you will meet the Varna Eneolith necropolis - a sensational scientific descovery: the oldest hand-crafted gold treasure in the world, dating from 4600 to 4200 BC. It is found during accidental construction works in the west industrial zone of Varna in 1972. As a result of the researches, 294 tombs have been found (by now) with more than 3000 golden objects in more than 38 different types, copper and flint articles, other made of stone and marble, ceramics, multiple shells.
The Museum was established in 1887 by the brothers Karel and Herman Shkorpil. It shows original finds from the Paleolithic Age /about 100 000 years BC/ to the Middle Ages /7th – 8th/ century., as well as the The largest Mesolithic collection of flint tools in South-East Europe, the largest collections of ancient terracotta, tombstone reliefs, lamps and glass vessels in Bulgaria are placed here.
(Mon - Sun 10am-5pm)
THE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM
The area inland of Varna was a crossroads of migrating peoples who left their traces in the Greek, Roman, Turks and Gagauz artifacts. The city is influenced by their cultures especially in the differentiation and great variety of people`s clothes in the settlements. If you visit the Ethnographic museum you could witness these effects in the urban life of Varna from the second half of 19th and the beginning of 20th century seeing its attractively arranged rich collection of national and regional costumes with a great diversity of styles; embroidered masks during Kukeri and Survaki (New Year) rites; ritual loaves; typical urban interiors, etc.
Varna, 22 Panagyurishte Str.
(Tues-Sun 10am-5pm)
THE ROMAN THERMAE AND THE CHURCH OF SVETI ATANAS
The Roman Thermal Baths built at the end of the 2nd c. A.D. are the biggest on the Balkan Peninsula as well as the largest ancient building discovered in Bulgaria so far. You could see the comparatively well-preserved walls with a vast tower of crumbling red brick as a decor of some musical or theatrical events taking place in the architectural complex. The richness of the ornamentation make of these thermae a remarkable monument of ancient architecture in the Bulgarian lands.
Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm & Sat 10am-5pm
Dos:
* Being there you could see the adjacent Church of Sveti Atanas - a classic example of National Revival architecture. The icons on display inside contain many of their original Greek inscriptions.
Don`ts:
* Don’t forgot that the Roman Thermae were built around natural hot springs - if you see a pouring water from a tap, try its taste no matter how it smells.
NAVAL MUSEUM
Being the only Naval museum in the country it offers a journey into the maritime history by its regular exposition - collections of maritime equipment and armament, uniforms and insignia, ship models and works of art, photographs and films.
Outside the museum there is an embedded boat - "Drazki" ship-museum - that memorizes the Bulgarian navy's only victory. In the yard - the “Cor Caroli" yacht - a proof about the first lonesome sailing around the world, accomplished by a Bulgarian navigator, Captain Georgi Georgiev.
Wed-Sun 10 am-6pm
http://www.museummaritime-bg.com
Dos:
* Watch the museum films that tell stories of naval heroes to meet the highest manifestations of the human spirit.
Don’ts:
* After visit the Naval Museum don`t forget to take a 10-minutes’ walk to reach the Sea Port of Varna - there you could see the yacht port and the lighthouse of Varna built in the beginning of 20th century. This is also the most beautiful sunset spot.
RETRO MUSEUM
The museum presents artifacts from the period 1944-1989 and the life in Bulgaria under socialism: Bulgarian cigarettes without filter, Russian vacuum cleaners, household from East Germany, Polish cosmetics and most desirable cars produced in the former Comecon turn back the time machine.
A lot of us still remember our grandfathers driving some of the 50 cars from the museum collection - "Volga", "Moskvich", "Skoda", “Trabant" as well as the popular bikes "Simson" and "Balkan". The star of the retro showroom in the museum is the classic "Chaika GAZ-13" – a limo on which rode the memberships of Politburo of the Communist Party.
https://www.facebook.com/RetroMuseumBg
PUPPET MUSEUM
Unique puppets in different genres, styles and trends in the collection of the Puppet museum give idea about the talents of many Bulgarian puppet masters as well as the creative hand of leading stage designers. The tour is accompanied by an interesting lecture and it enriches the theatre culture of audience.
Varna, 5 ”Sheynovo” Str.
Tue-Fri: 10am-5pm