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ALBENA, 2026 – The National History Museum presents the exhibition “Stories of Gold and Silver” in Albena, featuring exhibits from some of the most renowned Thracian and Proto-Bulgarian gold and silver treasures.
A special highlight of the exhibition is the Nagyszentmiklós Treasure, whose original is kept at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The treasure was discovered in 1799 in Banat and consists of 23 gold vessels, identified as Proto-Bulgarian and dated to the 9th century. The only exact replica is owned by the National History Museum in Sofia.
The exhibition includes 180 cultural artefacts made of gold and silver. Among them are exhibits not previously shown to the public, including a greave from the Mogilanska Mound near Vratsa and a bronze helmet-mask facepiece from Stara Zagora. The display also presents artefacts that have entered the museum’s collection in recent years, together with some of the most important treasures discovered on Bulgarian lands.
Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Varna Necropolis and the objects discovered in Grave 43. Visitors will also see items from the rich heritage of Thracian culture, including the famous treasure of the Thracian princess/priestess from the mound near Sinemorets.
One of the highlights is the original of an impressive gold diadem plaque with an inscription in Greek: “Demetrius made this for Kortodzuntos”. A comparable artefact is known only from the tomb of Philip of Macedon in Vergina.
The exhibition will also include the Small Preslav Treasure, discovered by chance and considered a rare find because of its character and richness. It was placed inside a carefully worked limestone block, where silver bracelets, gold earrings, and gold and silver coins were found among grey ash.
The exhibition “Stories of Gold and Silver” opens on 14 July at 11:00 at Maritim Paradise Hotel. The guest of the event will be Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boni Petrunova, Director of the National History Museum. The artefacts can be viewed in Albena until 20 August 2026.
