Iskra Historical Museum
Iskra Historical Museum
4.5
About
Iskra Museum - founded in 1901, is among the oldest regional museums. More than 50 000 original exponents are kept there. They present the material and spiritual culture of the region. Represents the historical heritage of the region, including all Thracian tombs from the Valley of Thracian kings. Permanent expositions - Archaeology, Revival, New History, Etnography and Newest History.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
46 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
11
Average
4
Poor
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Terrible
0
Phileas_Flogg
Oxford, UK387 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
As is typical of Bulgaria's provincial museums, the Iskra Historical Museum (aka archaeological museum) will not overwhelm you with its size and if, like us, you want to focus the Thracian finds, you will be stunned, amazed and delighted. Unfortunately, 2 of the most important local finds (the crushed golden funeral mask and Bronze head of Seuthes III) are reproductions but you are told this at the entrance and they are fantastic copies. The golden laurel wreath will take your breath away.
I had run out of energy to do justice to the exhibition concerning folk jewellery but it seemed like a very good overview of traditions that still have echoes in the tourist knick-knacks that are offered throughout Bulgaria. I also only skimmed the areas devoted to the revival period to my regret.
As for the rest, I can only recall reassembled pots which is never my favourite aspect of archaeology.
It is also worth mentioning that the building itself is a wonderful example of socialist architecture, the like of which you can find throughout the former communist world.
I had run out of energy to do justice to the exhibition concerning folk jewellery but it seemed like a very good overview of traditions that still have echoes in the tourist knick-knacks that are offered throughout Bulgaria. I also only skimmed the areas devoted to the revival period to my regret.
As for the rest, I can only recall reassembled pots which is never my favourite aspect of archaeology.
It is also worth mentioning that the building itself is a wonderful example of socialist architecture, the like of which you can find throughout the former communist world.
Written June 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Olga P
Athens, Greece259 contributions
Oct 2016 • Business
This is a fine museum with frescoes, jewellery, gold, weapons excavated in the Thracian tombs of Kazanlak that date from the period after Alexander the Great. Do not miss the Lapidarium in the basement (separate entrance) with finds from Seuthopolis and sculptures from the Roman perio.
Written October 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle L
Bodrum6 contributions
Nov 2014 • Solo
Pleasant and informative two hours. Easy to find. Well curated museum and art gallery. Information about museum exhibits clearly and concisely presented. The gold artefacts spectacular - the mask phial and wreath particularly. Art exhibits clearly labelled in both Bulgarian and English. Knew about significance of rose cultivation before visiting, but not about the importance of musical instrument making and textile related industries.
Written November 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JRiddingtonY
Barnstaple, UK97 contributions
Oct 2019
This museum is excellent, but poorly publicized. The staff are helpful. The treasures (which are breathtaking) are deep in the bowels of the building. Be sure not to miss them.
Written October 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rinetaki
Alexandria, Greece74 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
The museum displays a variety of items from the everyday life of the locals through the years, but the findings from the Thracian tomb are the prettiest and gloriest, and they have a great resemblance to the ones found at King Philippos' tomb in Vergina, Greece. There is also a very nice paintings gallery in the same place, which is worth visiting.
Written May 18, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nantona
Kazanlak, Bulgaria1,019 contributions
Sep 2015
The treasures of the odrisi - the ancient people of Thracian kingdom were found in the Rose valley. Now they are exposed in the Historical Museum in Kazanlak. The Thracian gold was one of the accents in the Thracian exposition in Louvre, Paris, spring and summer of 2015.
Written September 17, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Valleyofroses
Kazanlak, Bulgaria60 contributions
Jun 2014 • Friends
These were 2 of the most pleasant hours I spent in Kazanlak. The guide from the museum was very nice and well informed and practically showed us everything we wanted to see and answered all our questions! Here some more info about the museum:
Iskra Museum is one of the oldest regional museums in Bulgaria. More than 50 000 original exponents are kept there. They present the material and spiritual culture of the region. Represents the historical heritage of the region, including all Thracian tombs from the Valley of Thracian kings. Permanent expositions - Archaeology, Revival, New History, Etnography and Newest History. Y
Iskra Museum is one of the oldest regional museums in Bulgaria. More than 50 000 original exponents are kept there. They present the material and spiritual culture of the region. Represents the historical heritage of the region, including all Thracian tombs from the Valley of Thracian kings. Permanent expositions - Archaeology, Revival, New History, Etnography and Newest History. Y
Written June 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fane Babanul
Rishon Lezion, Israel2,080 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
The archeological museum occupies part of modern building in this provincial town.
The expo well illustrates the rich culture of the Thracians, the local people that was defeated and occupied by the Romans in the first century AC. The most proeminent is the kings thesaurus, one of the many findings that originate from the tomb sites located just North, on the road to Shipka pass.
The expo well illustrates the rich culture of the Thracians, the local people that was defeated and occupied by the Romans in the first century AC. The most proeminent is the kings thesaurus, one of the many findings that originate from the tomb sites located just North, on the road to Shipka pass.
Written September 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynette A
22 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
The main thing to see is the range of finds from the Thracian tombs in the valley. Great to see and connect this with the visits to the tombs themselves.
Written June 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Вероника
Pernik, Bulgaria24 contributions
May 2019 • Family
Unique place. Great exposures that helped us to tell our glorious story to our daughter. We have seen exhibits that are silent where the other can be seen, except in the Valley of the Thracian Kings.
Written May 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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