Third National Meeting of Museum Educators

On October 13 and 14, 2026 in Kyustendil, the Third National Meeting of Museum Educators took place as themed “Art as a tool for expanding the geographical and social boundaries of museum pedagogy.”

The event was hosted by the Regional History Museum “Acad. Yordan Ivanov” of Kyustendil, with co-organizers the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia (NMNHS) and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.

The meeting was officially opened with welcoming remarks from Mr Valentin Debochichki, Director of the “Acad. Yordan Ivanov” Regional History Museum in Kyustendil, Mr Nikolay Dochev, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Kyustendil, and Ms. Ani Istatkova, a researcher at the Faculty of History of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.”

The forum brought together specialists from across the country, who presented their innovative practices and approaches within the field of museum pedagogy. A key focus of the presentations and discussions was the role of creative approaches in overcoming various barriers and reaching a broader, more diverse audience.

In Panel “Living Heritage: Learning by Doing,” Ms. Silvia Tosheva, a Public Relations expert at the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia presented a topic “Enyov’s Threads: Where Nature, Tradition, and Science weave” with co-author Prof. Asya Asenova, a museum educator at the NMNHS. The “Enyov’s Threads” project was implemented by the National Museum of Natural, Sofia in partnership with the Faculty of Biology at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” the Fashion Design Department at the National Academy of Art, and the National Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Scienses, under the Ministry of Education and Science’s National Program “Education through Science.” As part of the project, scientists from the two museums shared scientific knowledge regarding Bulgarian flora and the traditions associated with the holiday of Enyovden with students from the two universities; the students, in turn, used this information as a source of creative inspiration for their coursework projects. From a pedagogical perspective “Enyov’s Threads” project evolved from a creative project into an educational environment that fosters the development of comprehensive competencies among the students.

In Panel “The Museum for Everyone — Inclusive Education and Work with Specific Audiences,” Dr Zlatka Yaramova, Head of cultural activities at NMNHS, presented on the topic “A Common Strategy for Accessibility Policy in Museums” — a work co-authored with Dr Stefaniya Kamenova, an ecologist at NMNHS. Dr Yaramova provided an overview of the legislative framework and accessibility policies for museums, and introduced “The Touch of the Forest” — the first temporary exhibition at NMNHS designed for visitors with visual impairments.

In Panel “Learning Tools: Museum Aids and Educational Resources” Dr Radina Ilieva, Head of the Public Engagement and Educational Programs Department at the National Ethnographic Museum presented “Weekdays and festivals — Nature in Bulgarian Traditional Culture“, а joint project between the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia and the National Ethnographic Museum. Dr Ilieva highlighted the popular science and educational resources developed as part of the project. These include brochures and educational worksheets that explore four Bulgarian festivals through the animal species and traditional practices associated with them. All materials are freely available on the websites of both museums and offer valuable insights into the relationship between humans and nature within Bulgarian traditions.

The forum finished with discussions on current topics in museum education, such as cross-border cooperation and shared heritage, learning through creativity and hands-on practice, the development of educational resources, and engagement with specific audiences. The event served as a valuable platform for museum educators from across the country to exchange experiences and ideas.