This year, more than 3 thousand museums and exhibition halls across Europe are to take part in the Night of Museums – an initiative that is growing more and more popular in Bulgaria in recent years. On the night of May 14 to the 15th, more than 60 Bulgarian museums and galleries will open their doors to thousands of visitors keen on seeing their displays. Concerts of brass and symphony orchestras and well-known pop bands, dance shows, art workshops and other attractions will entertain the guests of the tens of museums and galleries until late at night. It seems like this year’s edition of Night of Museums in Bulgaria is to turn into a true celebration of arts!
The initiative first started in 1997 in Berlin but later at the suggestion of the French Culture Ministry, most European countries joined in. Opening the museum doors free of charge on one single night of the year is emerging as a successful way of drawing a large range of visitors and mostly young people to exhibition halls. In Bulgaria, the interest in this initiative is growing each year, with more and more Bulgarian towns joining in. So, the night of May 14 promises busy lively streets in front of museum buildings not only in Sofia, but also in Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv, Rousse, and other towns across the country. “I am really impressed by the fact that this year 60 Bulgarian museums and galleries will take part, which is 20 more than last year”, exclaimed David Weissman, cultural attaché at the French embassy in Sofia, one of the organizers of the campaign.
“The main goal of the initiative is to widen the circle of visitors of these museums because people tend to pass near them but they rarely stop and go inside. This Saturday night, everyone is invited for a free stroll around museum galleries to get a glimpse of their rich collection. We hope to rouse a stronger love of arts and culture in people so that they might start attending museums more often”, David Weissman told Radio Bulgaria.
On May 14, thousands of midnight visitors will wonder freely along the halls of 10 museums in Sofia where a variety of interesting and entertaining events will be awaiting them! The national Military History Museum will become the arena of sword fighting enacted by trainees of the school for medieval fencing Motus. Young fencers will demonstrate old fighting techniques, clad in military armor from the 13th century. The visitors of the National History Museum will be able to see an exhibition entitled “Thrace and the Ancient World”, containing artifacts from antiquity that have not been shown publicly so far. The audience will also have the pleasure of hearing the Black and Red duet performing popular old songs. Visitors will be able to make pictures dressed in medieval costumes that have been used in Bulgarian film productions.
The Gallery for Foreign Arts will welcome its guests with a brass orchestra concert, demonstrations of Indian traditional clothing as well as Indonesian dances performed by children from the embassy of Indonesia in Sofia. “7 years ago when Bulgaria first joined the campaign, we were among the few people to take part, but the interest in it has exploded recently”, says Adelina Fileva, head of the Sofia City Gallery that will launch two exciting exhibitions this season. One is of Belgian contemporary artists and the other is part of the biennial of paper art under the motto “Harmony with nature”, Mrs. Fileva explains and adds:
“The paper exhibition will continue also outside the gallery in a so-called “alley of paper”, which will link our gallery to the National Arts Gallery. Of course, people will have a lot of fun there because it will feature 8 paper pavilions where various objects will be made out of paper on the spot. Visitors will also enjoy the performances of the Nesekomix pop band. So, not only museum workers but also musicians, artists and actors will be part of this night of museums, turning the event into a true night of arts!”
Weathermen have predicted a warm and rainless weekend in Bulgaria and public transport in Sofia will be operating all night long. So, it will be a night full of emotions!
Translated by: Rossitsa Petcova
По публикацията работи: Veneta Nikolova
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