Officially established in 1973, for almost 5 decades the National History Museum in the city of Sofia, with its over 650,000 exhibits, plays an important role in the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage in the Bulgarian society. Defined quite rightly as the largest museum in the country, its location and the building in which it is housed are of particular importance both for its role as a pivot in the preservation of the national historical and cultural heritage, and for its direct impact on the surrounding urban environment. With this publication, the authors aim to review the positive and negative effects on the main functions of the National History Museum, related to its current location – on the outskirts of the capital city. An analysis and comparison between his previous and current locations will be made, comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each case. For the needs of the future development of the museum and its role in the preservation and presentation of the historical eras of the Bulgarian lands, the potential relocation possibilities of the permanent expositions to more suitable spaces in an existing building in the central urban part of the capital or in a completely new one (building or complex), fully adapted to the functions of such institution, on the outskirts of the city of Sofia, will be examined and analyzed. The analysis of the potential effects on the functions of the National History Museum and its role in Bulgarian society in relation to its location on the territory of the capital city, as well as the impact of such an institution on its immediate surrounding urban environment, will be carried out entirely on the basis of opinions and research of specialists in the fields of history, architecture, urban planning, art studies, etc.

Stefan Genchev, Velimira Stoyanova
National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy, and Geography – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
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