MUSEUM MALKO TARNOVO
Historical Museum of Malko Tarnovo - Archaeological, Ethnographic and Natural Exposure - Malko Tarnovo, Konstantin Petkanov 1A
History
The first museum in the town of Malko Turnovo was established in 1983 under the name "Museum Complex Strandzha" and is the result of intensive work on the project Strandzha-Sakar. In 2002, it was restructured in Municipal Museum of History and today is the only cultural institution existing in the heart of Strandzha Mountain. The exhibition area is located in four old Strandzhian houses - cultural monuments that belonged to the wealthy families Dyakov and Iliev in the late 19th century. The house of commander Stamat Ikonomov - one of the ideologues of the Preobrazhensko uprising, opened in the early 2010 as an ethnographic museum. The Historical Museum of Malko Turnovo presents six separate exhibitions - the first contains archeological monuments discovered in the recent decades in sites around the city. The majority of archaeological sites were discovered during the Strandzha-Sakar program, headed by Prof. Alexander Fol. Some of the epigraphic monuments have been arranged in the courtyard lapidarium. The Icon Art is presented in separate exhibition with specimens of Strandzhian masters. Special attention is paid to the recent history and the Preobrazhensko Uprising. The ethnographic exposition collectes authentic artefacts and clothing from the ethnographic group of east-ruptsi, which includes Malko Tarnovo region. In the Natural Scientific Ehxibition awaits exciting meeting with Strandzha - use the phone booth to "talk" with the birds, take part in unusual "language course" and if you are not afraid, enter the "dark room" to feel the night in a Strandzhian forest. The latest you can find in the museum is the exhibition"The intangible cultural heritage of the Strandzha", presenting the traditional rituals nestinarstvo and Byal Kuker (white kuker/mummer), Strandzhian chapels and saints, which are of special honour.
Preservation
The museum is located in old houses completed and restored in the so called "Strandzha style". In the Historical Museum of Malko Tarnovo operates a carpet workshop. You can try to weave on an authentic loom or buy unique hand-woven product.
For many years most of the ethnographic materials collected in Strandzha region stayed hidden in storage awaiting for the creation of suitable exhibition area to beginn their life as museum exhibits. That exposition area is already becoming reallity, the home of Captain Stamat Ikonomov, one of the ideologues of the Preobrazhensko upraising in 1903, is now restored. In the house pronanunced a monument of culture can be seen objects from the typical households of the Strandzha population during 18th-19th and the 20th century: tools, samples of local carpet and mutafchiistvo crafts. Are separate places for different purposes from home arrangements of traditional Strandja home.
Area Descriptions
Malko Tarnovo is a town in southeastern Bulgaria, near the border with Turkey and center of the same name municipality in Burgas Region. The town lies at the foot of Strandzha mountain - the largest nature reserve in Bulgaria. Malko Turnovo can be reached on 75km southwest of Burgas along E87 direction Malko Turnovo border crossing.
The Historical Museum is located in the city center and is easily accessible. In the vicinity of Malko Tarnovo can be visited many more natural, cultural and historical monuments - dolmens, archaeological sites and historic places.
