You will find that Sofia museums are focused on the history and culture of this city. Exploring the museums in Sofia will give you a great idea of how rich the city was and the struggles it has experienced.

National History Museum

The National History Museum was founded in 1973 and located in the Court of Justice building. However, in 2000, the museum was moved to the building of Residence Bojana in Bojana Village. This national museum features over 650,000 exhibits. It shows Bulgaria’s prehistoric history until the current times. The museum is divided into several departments to correspond to the different exhibits, including archeology, history, art studies and ethnography. It is open from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. from November to March and 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. from April to October. The National History Museum is closed on holidays. Entrance fees differ for students, adults and children ages over 7 years old.

National Institute of Archeology and Museum

The National Institute of Archeology and Museum is located in an Ottoman mosque, Buyuk mosque, when it was first established in 1892. The building where the museum is housed is full of history in itself. The walls of the mosque were made of stone blocks and bricks, steel gates surround the building. Over the years, additional buildings were constructed to add more space into the museum. There are 5 halls representing the Middle Ages, Central Hall, Prehistory, Treasure and a temporary exhibit hall where special shows are held. The museum is closed every Monday but is open from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and again from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. the rest of the week.

Earth and Man National Museum

The Earth and Man National Museum is another museum in Sofia. It features 6 different sections, each with a wide variety of displays. The museum was founded in 1986 with over 20,000 kinds of exhibits. The 6 sections in the Earth and Man National Museum include Giant Crystals, Industrial Minerals, Raw Material Sources in Bulgaria, Gems, New Materials and Minerals of the Earth. You can expect to see most of the discovered minerals formed naturally in this museum. The museum also holds shows and displays a wide collection of artwork.

National Museum of Natural History

Located on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard is the National Museum of Natural History. It was founded in 1889 but not opened to the public until 1907. You can easily spot the museum from the city center for it is beside the Russian Church. The museum has several exhibits focused on the animal kingdom. It features over 1 million samples and specimens and is divided into 9 departments, including fossils and recent birds, insects, fish, plants and minerals. The National Museum of Natural History is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily except on main holidays.