As autumn brings opportunities for walks beyond the borders of the city, and as you are already familiar with plenty of ideas for eco-trails in the mountains, today we’ll take you on a virtual tour of some unique museum collections. You could plan a weekend to visit all, or take day trips to combine with short hikes in the surrounding areas:
Bear Museum
Located between the village of Trigrad and the Devil’s Throat Cave, the idea for the Bear Museum was conceived by Kostadin Hadjiyski. The museum presents facts about the life of the brown bear and aims to promote awareness and conservation of this endangered species. Visitors learn about large predators, their habitats, threats to their populations, and how one should act if someday they encounter a bear in the wild. In the museum one can hear authentic recorded sounds of bears, wolves, and foxes, and to see animal track molds. It’s a must-visit location for families!
“Smilyan Bean and Traditional Rhodope Terlitsi” Collection
This one-of-a-kind ethnographic collection highlights the local tradition of cultivating Smilyan beans and includes over 200 displays and models crafted from beans, including a piece created by 23045 participants, with which the village of Smilyan applied for an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. The history of Smilyan is presented in a unique and engaging way, and the museum guide offers even more interesting facts and stories.
House-Museum of Prof. Dr. K. Chilov – Slaveyno Village
Known for its impressive number of medical professionals born here (over 80), including paramedics, obstetrics, assistant pharmacists, and nurses, this village holds a record worthy of Guinness.
In this village, people can visit the one and only house-museum of a doctor in Bulgaria. The museum is dedicated to Dr. Konstantin Chilov, a renowned Bulgarian internist whose legacy includes training Bulgaria’s first specialized internists. Set in his childhood home, the exposition features over 3500 pieces, including medical equipment, literature, personal correspondence, and photographs, giving visitors a glimpse into his life and contributions.
Ethnographic Collection in Shiroka Luka Village
The Ethnographic Collection was established in Shiroka Luka in 1947. The exhibition was previously moved from one place to another but now it is housed in the historic Zgurov Konak - one of the most fabulous buildings from the Revival period, which is an example of the typical Rhodope architecture, and built by the locals. It is included in the list of buildings of national cultural importance. The building dates to 1853, as it is written on a preserved Ottoman stone plate on its southern facade.
This ethnographic museum showcases aspects of traditional local life, including weaving and cheese-making, along with a typical guest room in a Rhodope house. Each year, on the first Sunday in March, Shiroka Luka becomes a living museum of Bulgarian carnival masks, hosting groups of kukeri from across southern Bulgaria for the traditional “Pesponedelnik” festival, which is organized here.
Crystal Hall “Rhodope Crystal”
Madan is an ole mining settlement. The underground riches of this area have been known since ancient times. Lead ore mining in this region began around the 5th–4th century BC, initiated by the Thracian tribe called the Koilaleti.
The remains of old mining activities indicate that mining has been practiced here throughout various eras, with only minor interruptions, especially during the Ottoman period. When the Ottomans arrived in these lands, they greatly stimulated mining, as evidenced by the remnants of installations and a furnace in Fabrika village. The very name Madan dates back to this period, derived from the old word madan, meaning "mineral", "ore", or "mine."
One of Madan’s main attractions is the "Rhodope Crystal" hall, established in 1984. The hall houses nearly 600 exhibits of mineral and crystal samples extracted from local mines. These specimens impress with their unique shapes and reflections, with the largest crystal measuring 60 by 60 cm.
