Museums Archives ⋆ Page 16 of 36 ⋆ The Passenger

May 27, 2022June 8, 2022

National gallery

If you’re interested in Bulgarian art and Soviet-style artworks, then the Kvadrat 500 belonging to the National Gallery is your best choice. It is the biggest art museum of София and was opened in 2015. Next to Bulgarian works there is also a lot of European art and you can additionally see works from different other continents. The collection contains 42,000 pieces and only a small fraction can be shown in the 28 halls of the museum next to the Alexander Newski Cathedral.

May 27, 2022June 8, 2022

Chamber of secrets

National Museum of Natural History, София

Ferdinand I of Bulgaria was interested in nature and science. Due to this, he initiated the foundation of the Natural History Museum of София, which was the first museum focusing on nature on the Balkans. The museum dates back to 1889 and it is special, very different to everything I’ve seen before. It is a bit strange, creepy and therefore a real recommendation.

May 27, 2022June 8, 2022

Palace of art

When Bulgarian was freed from Ottoman reign in 1878 a royal palace was created at София. Today it contains the National Art Gallery (belonging to the National Gallery) which exhibits fantastic old and contemporary art. Sometimes the amazing palace architecture and decorations capture your views and distract you from the art works, most times both coexist in a wonderful symbiosis.

May 27, 2022June 8, 2022

Romans and Greeks

Bulgaria has a long history. София was once known as Serdica, the capital of the Roman province of Thrace. The Macedonians conquered the city as well as the Huns and the Osmans. To explain this past and the archeological findings of the country, the Bulgarian Archeological Museum was opened in 1905. If you’re surprised by the structures of the building: yes, it was an Ottoman mosque built from 1451 on.

May 27, 2022May 31, 2022

Polytechnic

It is a bit hidden and located in an unusual area of София, but once you’ve found the National Polytechnic Museum you can enjoy strolling through the small exhibition of ancient and modern technologies. The museum was founded in 1957 and owns 22,000 exhibits – but only a small fraction (1,000 pieces) can be shown. While taking the tour you’re slowly advancing through the history of mankind; starting with mills and glass production, ending with smartphones and wearable devices.

April 17, 2022April 27, 2022

MIMA

The Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art (MIMA) of Bruxelles is a contemporary visual art museum located in the buildings of a former brewery next the canal de Bruxelles. It is a small museum but offering art on four levels – works from their permanent collection and als changing exhibitions. The museum was founded in 2016 and is a private non-profit organization.

April 17, 2022April 27, 2022

Museum cluster

If you need to survive a rainy day in Bruxelles, the Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique can be your safe harbor. Located at the Koningsplein it offers you a combination of wonderful museums that our interconnected: just buy a ticket and switch in underground passages between the Musée Magritte, the Musée Old Masters and the Musée Fin-de-Siècle. After the Belgian independence king Lépold I. wanted to create a museum about Belgian artists; the current museum building was opened in 1887.

April 17, 2022April 26, 2022

Dinosaurs

Muséum des sciences naturelles, Bruxelles

The natural sciences museum of Bruxelles dates back to the 18th century and is located near the Parc Léopold in the European quarter. With 38 million of items, it is one of the largest collections in Europe and the exposition area focusses on giving insight to the masses. Main topics are the human body, biodiversity in everyday life and mostly: dinosaurs. Yes, all the kids love them, and they seem to be the gateway drug into natural sciences.

April 17, 2022April 24, 2022

House of European History

Since 2017 you can find the House of European History in the European Quarter of Bruxelles. It focusses on the older and newer history of Europe as a continent and strives to present a historic line for all states on European ground. The museum starts with the definition of Europe, leads through the central struggles of the last centuries, and ends with current developments and conflicts.

April 17, 2022April 26, 2022

Musées royaux d’Art et d’Histoire

Musees Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, Bruxelles

The royal museums for art and history at Bruxelles is a combination of state museums including the Art & History Museum at the Parc du Cinquantenaire (Jubelpark), the Porte de Hal, the Musical Instrument Museum in an art nouveau building and the Museums of the Far East located at Laken. The flagship is the giant Musée Art & Histoire (formerly called Musée du Cinquantenaire) which is one of the largest art museums in Europe.