Departments and team
The museum is a cultural and scholarly organization on a regional scale. Its staff includes historians and ethnologists, as well as restorers, a computer specialist, photographer and designer. The Cultural Management Department employs a museum pedagogue, coordinator of events, PR official, guides, information clerks and animators. The Finance and Accounting Department is responsible for the budget of the institution and for the development of its economic activity. There is specialized staff in charge of technical maintenance of facilities, buildings and open areas in the museum.
Key staff · Specialized departments · Cultural management · Finance and accounting · Administrative and information service · Restoration and conservation workshop · Photographic studio
Key staff · Specialized departments · Cultural management · Finance and accounting · Administrative and information service · Restoration and conservation workshop · Photographic studio
Екипът на Етнографски музей на открито „Етър“
септември 2018 г.
септември 2018 г.
Key staff
Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, PhD
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Specialized departments
26 069 fund units are being preserved in the main and in the scientific-auxiliary funds of the Museum.
Crafts Department
The Crafts Department was established in 1972. During different time spaces the following curators have worked in this department: Anna Stancheva, Penka Koleva and Rositsa Bineva. The department explores and preserves craftsman tools, technologies and handicraft articles dating back from the end of the ХІХ c. until the middle of the ХХ c., giving evidences of the development of the particular crafts from the Stara Planina Region. The collections of items, produced by the local craftsmen, such as wood-turners, cutlers, blacksmiths, silversmiths (called kuyumdjii) are of great interest. Members of the department are also two craftsmen: a maker of goat-hair articles (mutafchiya) and a braid-maker, who create traditional articles, typical for the corresponding craft.
Department Spiritual culture
The Department Spiritual culture was established in 1974. In the course of time Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Goev, Dr. Iliya Valev and Pavlina Damyanova had been engaged with the activities of the department. It collects and examines the intangible cultural heritage and has at its disposal a rich collection of traditions musical instruments. Valuable exhibits represent the church plate and the diverse ritual requisite. Of great interest is also the rich collection of "Ritual Bread" (plaster cast). A significant part of the fund is the library collection of the Lawyer Nikola Sokerov.
Department Way of life and livelihood
The Department Way of life and livelihood is established in 2020. The curators Rumyana Dencheva and Daniela Dimkova are part of its team. The Department consolidates the work of two former departments: Way of life and handicrafts and Livelihood, which existed during different periods of time.
Department Way of life and handicrafts
The department Way of life and handicrafts was established in 1972. During different time spaces the following curators: Penka Koleva, Velichka Ilieva and Galya Krasteva had worked for this department. The department gathers and examines the way of life, the traditional clothing, the weaving culture, the foodstuff and nutrition, the everyday activities and domestic occupations of the population from the region of the Central Stara Planina starting from the end of the XIX c. until the present days. The department possesses a collection of authentic dresses and fabrics from different Bulgarian ethnographic regions: North Region, Dobrudja Region, Sofia Region (Shopluk), Pirin Region and Thrace Region. Also valuable articles connected with way of life are preserved here. All of them date back to the period XIX–XX cc.
Department Livelihood
The department Livelihood was established in 1980, bearing the name "Agriculture" and during the course of time the curators Ivan Botev, Ivanka Lilova and Georgi Georgiev had been engaged with its activities. Since 2016 the department was renamed into "Livelihood". The Department gathers and explores the traditional farming, stock-breeding and other forms of livelihood from the Region of Central Stara Planina. The collections of agricultural equipments: hayforks, harrows, threshing-boards, plaited articles.
The department Funds
The department Funds was established in 1980. During the different periods of time, part of this department had been: Minka Dacheva, Minka Bachvarova, Penka Dobreva and Rumyana Dencheva. Since 2016 Mariya Kovatcheva and Marieta Ilieva joined the team of the department. The funds of the Museum are differentiated into different collections, depending on the kinds of the materials.
Department Scientific archives and Library
The department Scientific archives and Librar" was established in 2020. Documents, connected with the history of the Museum, are being stored here. Georgi Georgiev is curator of the Department. The library of the Museum exists since 1973. It supports the scientific-research and the promoting activity of the museum specialists, of the research workers, of students and citizens, by means of granting them access to the library funds and bibliographical information. Its basic contents are thematic literature, connected with the profile of the institution. The library has at its disposal the richest collection of specialized literature, related to open-air museums in Bulgaria. A "Regulation for the use of the library" is worked out. The total number of the library units, dated to December, 31st 2019 is 3 495.
Department Architecture and construction
The department "Architecture and construction" started functioning in 2020. Pavel Mitkov, curator of department "Immovable cultural heritage", is engaged with its activities.
Scientific group at the Museum
The Scientific group at the Museum was established in 2015. Its first members are Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Goev and Professor Dr. Svetla Dimitrova.
Crafts Department
The Crafts Department was established in 1972. During different time spaces the following curators have worked in this department: Anna Stancheva, Penka Koleva and Rositsa Bineva. The department explores and preserves craftsman tools, technologies and handicraft articles dating back from the end of the ХІХ c. until the middle of the ХХ c., giving evidences of the development of the particular crafts from the Stara Planina Region. The collections of items, produced by the local craftsmen, such as wood-turners, cutlers, blacksmiths, silversmiths (called kuyumdjii) are of great interest. Members of the department are also two craftsmen: a maker of goat-hair articles (mutafchiya) and a braid-maker, who create traditional articles, typical for the corresponding craft.
Department Spiritual culture
The Department Spiritual culture was established in 1974. In the course of time Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Goev, Dr. Iliya Valev and Pavlina Damyanova had been engaged with the activities of the department. It collects and examines the intangible cultural heritage and has at its disposal a rich collection of traditions musical instruments. Valuable exhibits represent the church plate and the diverse ritual requisite. Of great interest is also the rich collection of "Ritual Bread" (plaster cast). A significant part of the fund is the library collection of the Lawyer Nikola Sokerov.
Department Way of life and livelihood
The Department Way of life and livelihood is established in 2020. The curators Rumyana Dencheva and Daniela Dimkova are part of its team. The Department consolidates the work of two former departments: Way of life and handicrafts and Livelihood, which existed during different periods of time.
Department Way of life and handicrafts
The department Way of life and handicrafts was established in 1972. During different time spaces the following curators: Penka Koleva, Velichka Ilieva and Galya Krasteva had worked for this department. The department gathers and examines the way of life, the traditional clothing, the weaving culture, the foodstuff and nutrition, the everyday activities and domestic occupations of the population from the region of the Central Stara Planina starting from the end of the XIX c. until the present days. The department possesses a collection of authentic dresses and fabrics from different Bulgarian ethnographic regions: North Region, Dobrudja Region, Sofia Region (Shopluk), Pirin Region and Thrace Region. Also valuable articles connected with way of life are preserved here. All of them date back to the period XIX–XX cc.
Department Livelihood
The department Livelihood was established in 1980, bearing the name "Agriculture" and during the course of time the curators Ivan Botev, Ivanka Lilova and Georgi Georgiev had been engaged with its activities. Since 2016 the department was renamed into "Livelihood". The Department gathers and explores the traditional farming, stock-breeding and other forms of livelihood from the Region of Central Stara Planina. The collections of agricultural equipments: hayforks, harrows, threshing-boards, plaited articles.
The department Funds
The department Funds was established in 1980. During the different periods of time, part of this department had been: Minka Dacheva, Minka Bachvarova, Penka Dobreva and Rumyana Dencheva. Since 2016 Mariya Kovatcheva and Marieta Ilieva joined the team of the department. The funds of the Museum are differentiated into different collections, depending on the kinds of the materials.
Department Scientific archives and Library
The department Scientific archives and Librar" was established in 2020. Documents, connected with the history of the Museum, are being stored here. Georgi Georgiev is curator of the Department. The library of the Museum exists since 1973. It supports the scientific-research and the promoting activity of the museum specialists, of the research workers, of students and citizens, by means of granting them access to the library funds and bibliographical information. Its basic contents are thematic literature, connected with the profile of the institution. The library has at its disposal the richest collection of specialized literature, related to open-air museums in Bulgaria. A "Regulation for the use of the library" is worked out. The total number of the library units, dated to December, 31st 2019 is 3 495.
Department Architecture and construction
The department "Architecture and construction" started functioning in 2020. Pavel Mitkov, curator of department "Immovable cultural heritage", is engaged with its activities.
Scientific group at the Museum
The Scientific group at the Museum was established in 2015. Its first members are Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Goev and Professor Dr. Svetla Dimitrova.
- Rositsa Bineva
- Velichka Ilieva
- Georgi GeorgievCurator “Livelihood"
g.georgiev@etar.bg
+359 8 295-62-21 - Rumyana Dencheva
- Marieta Ilieva
- Daniela Dimkova
- Pavel Mitkov
- Mariya Kovatcheva
- Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, PhD
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Cultural management
- Svetlozar Todorov
- Tihomir Tsarov
- Violeta Yaneva
- Lyubomira Ivanova
- Tsvetomira KatevaGuide to English
ts.kateva@etar.bg - Veselina KanchevaGuide to German
v.kancheva@etar.bg - Damyan Hristov
- Elena MinkovskaGuide to English
e.minkovska@etar.bg - Anna AlexandrovaGuide to Russian
a.alexandrova@etar.bg - Natali Ivanova
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Finance and accounting
- Mariya IvanovaChief accountant
m.ivanova@etar.bg
+359 886 559-515 - Ivelina Tsaneva
- Keti Marinova
- Violeta Dimova
- Snezhana Koleva
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Administrative and information services
- Bistra Dimova
- Tatyana Marinova
- Vladislav KamburovComputer technician
v.kamburov@etar.bg
+359 88 250 1793 - Miroslav Zhivkov
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Restoration and conservation workshop
- Stefan Stefanov
Photographic studio
- Tihomir Penov
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