The Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv and Jacob van Beilen invite you not simply to an exhibition, but on a journey through time. For the first time in Bulgaria, a retrospective exhibition brings together the oldest Bulgarian carpets discovered to date, woven in Chiprovtsi and the surrounding area from the late 17th century through the 1930s.

The exhibition is devoted entirely to Bakam carpets, also known as Garibalda. It is the result of more than ten years of research by Jacob van Beilen, a Dutch public figure, philanthropist and collector, rightfully known as “the Dutchman with a Bulgarian heart.” Having dedicated his life to preserving Bulgaria’s traditional carpet-making heritage, Jacob has built one of the richest collections in the world, comprising more than 80 Bakam masterpieces and over 1,000 authentic carpets from different Bulgarian weaving traditions.

Do not miss this unique event, where you will encounter three centuries of history — textiles that have survived the trials of time and preserved the memory of generations of Bulgarians. These carpets are paintings without equal. Their “artists” were anonymous women weavers who worked without a predetermined pattern, weaving directly from the heart and from their imagination. This makes every piece utterly unique.

And, last but not least, the exhibition is part of an important cause — another step towards Jacob van Beilen’s great dream: the establishment of a National Carpet Museum in Bulgaria.

Welcome to the exhibition “Bakam – Garibalda (The Oldest Bulgarian Carpets)”, and to an infinite world woven from colours, symbols and stories of human lives!

The exhibition opens on 7 October 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv. Jacob van Beilen will share with you his collecting journey, scholarly research and aesthetic pursuits.