The new branch of REM – Plovdiv takes a step toward creating a modern visual environment

On the Day of the Christian Family, the newest museum in the country opened its doors. The modern exhibition space is located in the house of Nevena Atanasova at 20 “Saborna” Street and is part of the structure of the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv. The World of the Iron is presented as an open storage collection – more than 1,200 exhibits from around the world are displayed before visitors. The collection was gathered over a period of 40 years by the late Plovdiv artist Dimitar Dobrev.

“Dimitar Dobrev used to say: I want to give my collection to the people of Plovdiv. Thus, in 2021, he donated all the items to REM – Plovdiv with the sole intention that a museum dedicated to the iron be created in his beloved city. The team of the Ethnographic Museum set out to arrange the exhibition in a way that traces the history and development of the iron not only as a technical tool for ironing, but also as a beautiful decorative object,” commented the museum’s director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Yankov.

The curators have studied the entire evolution of ironing tools – from eras before Christ to the present day. Particularly interesting are the irons featuring decorative symbols, whose ornaments not only embellish them but also carry profound meaning related to the interaction between humans and nature, mythology, and religious beliefs throughout various historical periods.

During the official opening, the daughter of the main donor – Slavitsa Dobreva – shared that this was her father’s dream come true. She emphasized that Dimitar Dobrev would have been extremely proud of what the REM – Plovdiv team has achieved.

The first visitor to the newly opened museum was the Mayor of Plovdiv, Kostadin Dimitrov, who gave high praise for the work completed. According to him, Plovdiv demonstrates its commitment to culture and actively develops its museum environment – it is no coincidence that within one week, three museums in the city are opening renovated or entirely new exhibitions.

The project, implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Plovdiv, is much more than an exhibition on the theme The World of the Iron. It represents a step toward creating a visual environment that meets the needs and expectations of a new audience – a museum environment that educates and inspires through diverse methods.

Over the past two years, the focus has been on a multidisciplinary approach – cooperation between specialists from various fields with the goal of creating a space that educates through contemporary graphic and exhibition design.

“We believe that everyone deserves to grow and develop in an aesthetically refined environment, with carefully selected details and a clear message. Our aim is to achieve a symbiosis between historical authenticity and a modern experience, using the latest achievements in design. Museum work has enormous potential not only to tell the story of the past, but also to transform it into an aesthetic experience – one that engages the senses, sparks curiosity, and makes every visitor an active participant in the encounter with cultural heritage,” the museum team emphasizes.