Saturday, 8 November 2025
National Museum of Natural History —
the richest museum of natural history on the Balkans, nearly a million and a half specimens of animals, plants and minerals
the richest museum of natural history on the Balkans, nearly a million and a half specimens of animals, plants and minerals
360° Virtual tour
Being the first and the richest natural history museum on the Balkans, the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences studies, preserves and disseminates information about the living and non-living nature both in Bulgaria and throughout the world… [more]
Visit us
National Museum of Natural History
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: (+359 2) 9885116 — Operator; Information: (+359 87) 9226573, 10:00 — 18:00 hours
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: (+359 2) 9885116 — Operator; Information: (+359 87) 9226573, 10:00 — 18:00 hours
Opening hours
Monday to Sunday 10:00 — 18:00
On 24 and 31 December: 10:00 — 13:00
The museum is open every day except 1 January, 3 March, Easter [Eastern] and 25 December. Last admission is at 17:30.
Monday to Sunday 10:00 — 18:00
On 24 and 31 December: 10:00 — 13:00
The museum is open every day except 1 January, 3 March, Easter [Eastern] and 25 December. Last admission is at 17:30.
![Hall 4 — Mineralogy [Genesis of the minerals]](images/thumbs/h-04-1.jpg)
Palaeontological Museum, Asenovgrad
The Dimitar Kovachev Palaeontological Museum, a branch of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NMNHS) in Asenovgrad, was created with a contract dated 22.02.1990 between the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the National Museum of Natural History and the Asenovgrad Municipality… [more]
Research & collections
The museum staff’s scientific research is linked with the latest national and international priorities in the fields of biodiversity, ecology, and nature conservation. The entomology and palaeozoology studies are especially intense… [more]
Latest from Historia naturalis bulgarica
The November 2025 issue is out
Issue 11 of volume 47 of Historia naturalis bulgarica was published today, 3 November. It includes three articles. The first, Zygaena sedi Fabricius 1787 discovered and burned on Sakar Mts in Bulgaria by Ana Nahirnić-Beshkova and Ivaylo Todorov, reports the fifth locality of the rare species Zygaena sedi in Bulgaria. The second, The type specimens of Keroplatidae…
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The November 2025 issue is out
Issue 11 of volume 47 of Historia naturalis bulgarica was published today, 3 November. It includes three articles. The first, Zygaena sedi Fabricius 1787 discovered and burned on Sakar Mts in Bulgaria by Ana Nahirnić-Beshkova and Ivaylo Todorov, reports the fifth locality of the rare species Zygaena sedi in Bulgaria. The second, The type specimens of Keroplatidae…
→ More
Projects
PESI — A Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure
Prime Butterfly Areas in Bulgaria — Identifying and describing the most important sites for butterflies in the country
e-Natura
Databases of natural history collections and other electronic tools
Gemmology — gemstones — characteristics, classification, specimens, library
Education
Intern at the museum… why?
“Because the world of animals is still an unrevealed secret and there is always something to learn.”
Severina Velkova
“Because the world of animals is still an unrevealed secret and there is always something to learn.”
Severina Velkova
About us
History
The National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has a history of more than one hundred and thirty years. It is the oldest museum in Bulgaria and the oldest and richest among the natural history museums on the Balkan Peninsula… [more]
The National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has a history of more than one hundred and thirty years. It is the oldest museum in Bulgaria and the oldest and richest among the natural history museums on the Balkan Peninsula… [more]
News
Orchids of Korea: a new temporary exhibition in the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia
On 30.10.2025, at 18:00, in the fourth floor foyer of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia was presented a temporary exhibition “Orchids of Korea”. The exhibition presents 34 botanical illustrations by 17 artists from the…
Participation of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia in GB32 Colombia and Living Data 2025
From 16—20 October 2025, the 32nd Meeting of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Governing Board (GB32) and associated events took place in Bogotá, Colombia, bringing together representatives of GBIF member countries, partner…
Official visit of Dr Natalija Cadjenovic, Director of the Natural History Museum of Montenegro, to the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia
With the cooperation and recommendation of Mrs Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, Director of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on October 8, 2025 the Director of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia Prof…
The National Museum of Natural History, Sofia during Researchers’ Night
As is traditional, Researchers’ Night at the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia took place on the last Friday in September — the 26th of September 2025, from 17:30 to 21:00…
→ More news
Orchids of Korea: a new temporary exhibition in the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia
On 30.10.2025, at 18:00, in the fourth floor foyer of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia was presented a temporary exhibition “Orchids of Korea”. The exhibition presents 34 botanical illustrations by 17 artists from the…
Participation of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia in GB32 Colombia and Living Data 2025
From 16—20 October 2025, the 32nd Meeting of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Governing Board (GB32) and associated events took place in Bogotá, Colombia, bringing together representatives of GBIF member countries, partner…
Official visit of Dr Natalija Cadjenovic, Director of the Natural History Museum of Montenegro, to the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia
With the cooperation and recommendation of Mrs Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, Director of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on October 8, 2025 the Director of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia Prof…
The National Museum of Natural History, Sofia during Researchers’ Night
As is traditional, Researchers’ Night at the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia took place on the last Friday in September — the 26th of September 2025, from 17:30 to 21:00…
→ More news
Also at the museum
Official profiles of the National Museum of Natural History
Administrative documents
External organisations and documents
