Partners and friends
Etar Museum actively maintains an extensive partnership network with international, national, regional and local organizations. It is member of the International Council of Museums and of the Association of European Open Air Museums (AEOM).
Since 2019, the Ettar Museum has been part of the Forum of Slavic Cultures. Authoritative museums from Slavic countries are members of this international organization. Every year, at a special ceremony, the Forum for Slavic Cultures presents the "Ziva" awards—for the best Slavic museum and for the best place of cultural heritage. There are also several accompanying awards that incentivize nominated institutions. "Eter" is the first Bulgarian winner of one of the two major awards. The presentation of the statuette for 2020 takes place in January 2022 in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. "Eter" has been declared the best place of cultural heritage.
In 2017, Etar Museum joined the Bulgarian National Council of the International Council of Museums. The organization known as ICOM—International Council of Museums represents the world community and comprises 172 committees, 35,000 members and 20,000 museums. The ICOM mission includes combatting illicit trafficking of cultural goods, promoting culture and knowledge, protection of movable and immovable cultural properties. At the latest reporting meeting of the Bulgarian National ICOM Committee, Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, PhD, Director of Etar Museum, was elected member of the Managing Board of the organization, and from the fall of 2022 she became its chairman .
In 2016, Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, PhD, resumed contacts between Etar Museum and the Association of European Open-Air Museums. Currently Regional Ethnographic Open Air Museum Etar is part of the Association of European Open-Air Museums.
At the General Conference of the 39th Session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (30 October—14 November 2017) in Paris, the City of Gabrovo was selected by UNESCO as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. Etar Museum was actively involved as the City of Gabrovo prepared its bid to enter the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The project was submitted by the Municipality of Gabrovo but received support from the National Chamber of Crafts, the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers and the National Commission of Bulgaria for UNESCO.
The Bulgarian Museum Association was founded in 2012. Etar Museum joined the organization in 2013. The Association aims to protect the rights and interests of Bulgarian museums before state and municipal bodies and organizations, as well as before all legal and natural persons in the country and abroad; promote the activities of Bulgarian museums in the country and abroad; support the development of museums and broaden the exchange of information between them; promote ethical and scientific standards in the fields of science and the arts; carry out initiatives related to the development and promotion of museum activity in general.
Footage from Regional Ethnographic Open-Air Museum Etar can be seen on iLoveBulgaria—Bulgaria's official interactive platform developed jointly with the Ministry of Tourism. The platform's key goal is to support different kinds of tourism in Bulgaria and popularize sites in the country at the levels of city, region and country, among both the local population and foreign guests and visitors of Bulgaria.
Etar Museum has repeatedly been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the biggest tourist website TripAdvisor. The award is given to companies and institutions which offer services and attractions for excellent hospitality and is based on very good reviews from visitors.
In 2017, Etar Museum joined the partnership network of Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship. This is an international not-for-profit organization committed to encouraging and popularizing creativity and the mastery in making various articles. Etar Museum is the only Bulgarian organization in this network but is also the only museum in it, for the time being.
Since 2015, Etar Museum has been working in partnership with ALOS Center for Informal Education and Cultural Activities for the initiative KEVIS Art Symposium for Land Art and Kinetic Art. Since 2017, the editions of the symposium have been supported by Zagorka AD, Deroni OOD, VAS-Gabrovo and Herb Systemtechnik International EOOD-Gabrovo.
In 2017, the Center for Informal Education and Cultural Activities ALOS co-organized the first youth section of the Craftsman Competition during the International Fair of Traditional Crafts at Etar Museum.
In 2013, thanks to financial support from America for Bulgaria, a Children's Museum Center opened doors on the grounds of Etar Museum. In it children have the opportunity to come into touch with various crafts and home occupations based on the principle learning through experience. The center's services include thematic workshops for making traditional goods, as well as presentation of the wealth of Bulgarian folk festivals and customs.
For many years, Etar Museum has been partnering with Devetaki Plateau Association —a non-governmental organization with offices in the village of Letnitsa. The work of the association is focused on the preservation of the natural wealth of the region, its traditions and heritage, as well as the development of the Plateau of Devetaki as an attractive place for living, business, tourism and pastime. Jointly with foreign partners, the association has developed several projects for cultural exchange of young people who come to Bulgaria to learn local crafts and traditions. Etar Museum has had a lasting presence in almost all programs of the NGO's groups.
Partnership between Etar Museum and Meshtra—Traditional Knowledge and Crafts Association, dates back to 2016, when the two organization launched an educational program with the motto "In the world of Balkan Range architecture". Since 2017, the initiative has also received financial support from the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria.
Since 2016, Etar Museum and the Central Balkan Range Regional Association of Municipalities have been working together for the organization of the event European artistic craft days.
At the beginning of 2018, Ideal Standard invited Etar Museum and the team of architects who had won the first place in the contest for the transformation of Strannopriemnitsa Hotel (architects Andrey Andreev /Another Studio/, Petya Nikolova /Another Studio/ and Milena Fetvadjieva /Urbanviva architectural studio/) to join voting for projects which took part in the 14th edition of the competition Ideal Standard Bath of the year 2017. Later Ideal Standard bought off the project Grand Colonial for a hotel bath concept and handed it over for adaptation by designers and foruse during the future reconstruction of Strannopriemnitsa Hotel.
At the beginning of 2018, Etar Museum signed an agreement for cooperation with the National Academy of Art in Sofia. A few practical sessions of students from the academy's chairs Metal and Advertising Design have already been organized on the grounds of the institution.
Etar Museum has signed an agreement for partnership with the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Romania.
In 2017, Etar Museum joined the Bulgarian National Council of the International Council of Museums. The organization known as ICOM—International Council of Museums represents the world community and comprises 172 committees, 35,000 members and 20,000 museums. The ICOM mission includes combatting illicit trafficking of cultural goods, promoting culture and knowledge, protection of movable and immovable cultural properties. At the latest reporting meeting of the Bulgarian National ICOM Committee, Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, PhD, Director of Etar Museum, was elected member of the Managing Board of the organization, and from the fall of 2022 she became its chairman .
In 2016, Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, PhD, resumed contacts between Etar Museum and the Association of European Open-Air Museums. Currently Regional Ethnographic Open Air Museum Etar is part of the Association of European Open-Air Museums.
At the General Conference of the 39th Session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (30 October—14 November 2017) in Paris, the City of Gabrovo was selected by UNESCO as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. Etar Museum was actively involved as the City of Gabrovo prepared its bid to enter the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The project was submitted by the Municipality of Gabrovo but received support from the National Chamber of Crafts, the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers and the National Commission of Bulgaria for UNESCO.
The Bulgarian Museum Association was founded in 2012. Etar Museum joined the organization in 2013. The Association aims to protect the rights and interests of Bulgarian museums before state and municipal bodies and organizations, as well as before all legal and natural persons in the country and abroad; promote the activities of Bulgarian museums in the country and abroad; support the development of museums and broaden the exchange of information between them; promote ethical and scientific standards in the fields of science and the arts; carry out initiatives related to the development and promotion of museum activity in general.
Footage from Regional Ethnographic Open-Air Museum Etar can be seen on iLoveBulgaria—Bulgaria's official interactive platform developed jointly with the Ministry of Tourism. The platform's key goal is to support different kinds of tourism in Bulgaria and popularize sites in the country at the levels of city, region and country, among both the local population and foreign guests and visitors of Bulgaria.
Etar Museum has repeatedly been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the biggest tourist website TripAdvisor. The award is given to companies and institutions which offer services and attractions for excellent hospitality and is based on very good reviews from visitors.
In 2017, Etar Museum joined the partnership network of Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship. This is an international not-for-profit organization committed to encouraging and popularizing creativity and the mastery in making various articles. Etar Museum is the only Bulgarian organization in this network but is also the only museum in it, for the time being.
Since 2015, Etar Museum has been working in partnership with ALOS Center for Informal Education and Cultural Activities for the initiative KEVIS Art Symposium for Land Art and Kinetic Art. Since 2017, the editions of the symposium have been supported by Zagorka AD, Deroni OOD, VAS-Gabrovo and Herb Systemtechnik International EOOD-Gabrovo.
In 2017, the Center for Informal Education and Cultural Activities ALOS co-organized the first youth section of the Craftsman Competition during the International Fair of Traditional Crafts at Etar Museum.
In 2013, thanks to financial support from America for Bulgaria, a Children's Museum Center opened doors on the grounds of Etar Museum. In it children have the opportunity to come into touch with various crafts and home occupations based on the principle learning through experience. The center's services include thematic workshops for making traditional goods, as well as presentation of the wealth of Bulgarian folk festivals and customs.
For many years, Etar Museum has been partnering with Devetaki Plateau Association —a non-governmental organization with offices in the village of Letnitsa. The work of the association is focused on the preservation of the natural wealth of the region, its traditions and heritage, as well as the development of the Plateau of Devetaki as an attractive place for living, business, tourism and pastime. Jointly with foreign partners, the association has developed several projects for cultural exchange of young people who come to Bulgaria to learn local crafts and traditions. Etar Museum has had a lasting presence in almost all programs of the NGO's groups.
Partnership between Etar Museum and Meshtra—Traditional Knowledge and Crafts Association, dates back to 2016, when the two organization launched an educational program with the motto "In the world of Balkan Range architecture". Since 2017, the initiative has also received financial support from the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria.
Since 2016, Etar Museum and the Central Balkan Range Regional Association of Municipalities have been working together for the organization of the event European artistic craft days.
At the beginning of 2018, Ideal Standard invited Etar Museum and the team of architects who had won the first place in the contest for the transformation of Strannopriemnitsa Hotel (architects Andrey Andreev /Another Studio/, Petya Nikolova /Another Studio/ and Milena Fetvadjieva /Urbanviva architectural studio/) to join voting for projects which took part in the 14th edition of the competition Ideal Standard Bath of the year 2017. Later Ideal Standard bought off the project Grand Colonial for a hotel bath concept and handed it over for adaptation by designers and foruse during the future reconstruction of Strannopriemnitsa Hotel.
At the beginning of 2018, Etar Museum signed an agreement for cooperation with the National Academy of Art in Sofia. A few practical sessions of students from the academy's chairs Metal and Advertising Design have already been organized on the grounds of the institution.
Etar Museum has signed an agreement for partnership with the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Romania.
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