Plovdiv Regional Museum of Natural History

Overview

The Regional Museum of Natural History is the largest museum in Plovdiv. The first scientifically and artistically arranged exposition was opened on May 8, 1960, dedicated to the Bulgarian flora, fauna and geology. It covers the sections "Evolution of organisms and inanimate nature", "Plants", "Invertebrates" and "Vertebrates - fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals". A beginning has been given for the future development of a museum. In 1970 - 1971 the scientific funds of the museum were built with sections: Geology, Botany, Zoology of invertebrates and zoology of Vertebrates. For the first time, a library room was built at the museum, equipped with shelves and cabinets, in order to divide the literature into sections.

In 1974, as a result of the huge research work of the museum staff and raising the museum to a higher scientific level, the museum exposition was enriched with new sections: "Minerals from the Rhodope Massif" and a complete reconstruction and decoration of the exhibition in the hall. "Geology", "Our edible and poisonous mushrooms", "Protected natural sites and plants in the Plovdiv region" and a new design in the "Botany" hall; construction of a central showcase in the "Invertebrates" hall with new exotic mussels, snails, corals, mushrooms, etc.

In 1951 the idea for the creation of a natural history museum in Plovdiv was given by the Executive Committee of the City People's Council. The reason for this is that the collections of the pedagogical museum of the French college “St. Augustine ”were left to their own devices, are constantly crumbling and most of the exhibits are destroyed or deeply damaged. And quite rightly the City People's Council in Plovdiv decided in 1952 on the basis of the created collections and collections of minerals, fossils, animals, plants and other natural materials to be brought to the building of the former municipality designated for the construction of the Natural History Museum.

However, even during the application it was established that a large part of the labels attached to the Exhibits were lost and it was difficult to establish what they were and what their origin was. In 1954, the building was overhauled to become a museum. During the renovation, an exhibition plan was developed, approved by the Ministry of Culture, a lot of materials from the Bulgarian nature were collected and the arrangement of the materials according to the prepared plan in the premises designed for the purpose began.

Thus, on September 5, 1955, the museum was opened as a "Temporary Exhibition of Materials of a Future Museum of Natural History", although not completely filled with materials and good artistic design. The exhibition was a great success and was visited by tens of thousands of Plovdiv residents and guests of the city.