The distinction is awarded for the opening of the new permanent exhibition “The World of the Iron”

The Regional Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv has been named “Museum of the Year.” The prestigious award was granted to the cultural institution for its new permanent exhibition “The World of the Iron,” located in the Nevena Atanasova House in the Old Town. It is the only museum of its kind dedicated to irons in the Balkans.

“The topic has not been studied in Bulgaria until now and is without precedent. This required enormous effort and in-depth expert research, which we carried out together with the museum’s professionals. The open collection of our new exhibition includes over 1,200 unique artifacts, donated by the late Dimitar Dobrev. The beloved artist devoted 40 years of his life to collecting irons from near and far. During his lifetime, his dream was for his native Plovdiv to have such a museum. We are happy that our team succeeded in making it a reality,” commented Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Yankov, Director of the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv. According to him, the “Museum of the Year” award is a major recognition from the professional community for a job well done.

The “Heritage” awards are presented annually by the Bulgarian Museums Association. For the 2025 edition, applications were submitted by 16 cultural institutions, including five national museums. “All nominations reflect the active role of the museum sector in preserving and promoting the country’s cultural heritage. The applications for the 2025 awards are the most numerous to date,” the Association emphasized.

The jury, composed of distinguished scholars and experts, was unanimous that the “World of the Iron” project by the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv stands out with its in-depth curatorial concept, clearly structured content, well-developed exhibition framework, and innovativeness. “Notable is the use of a multidisciplinary approach, involving a wide range of experts from various research fields, including artists and designers. The exhibition design, graphic and digital elements, as well as the scenographic solutions, are particularly impressive,” the committee noted. The evaluation also highlighted the educational and interactive methods, the souvenir line, and the focus on drawing public attention to the artistic qualities of the objects and to the theme of donation as a key factor in enriching museum collections.

“The permanent exhibition ‘The World of the Iron’ is a distinctive example of modern museum thinking, transforming the museum object into a means of telling broader cultural, technological, and social stories. It establishes the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv as an active cultural space that combines heritage preservation with contemporary interpretation and public engagement,” the Bulgarian Museums Association added.