Bulgaria Inside

The beginning of industrial mining in Bulgaria dates back to 1891. The town of Pernik is still one of the most developed mining centers in the country. Pernik is the place where you will discover a unique museum dedicated to mining. The museum is located in the oldest Bulgarian mine.

Information boards will direct you to the center of Pernik and the museum. You can always ask locals for instructions, since everyone is aware of the museum’s location. In front of the old mine, you will find a sufficiently big parking lot where you can park your car.

The museum welcomed visitors for the first time in 1986. It is unique both for Bulgaria and the Balkan region. Such museums have been established in several countries only.

Museum halls are 630 m long and trace the development of mining through the years.

All exhibition items follow development logics. The collections show the oldest tools used and move towards the modern period.

Various types of machines and equipment have been put on display. In the beginning of the tunnel you will see a collection presenting transportation technology – locomotives, trolleys and electric accumulators. Most of the machines are authentic and visitors feel as if work inside the mine will be renewed any minute.

One interesting fact you will learn in the museum is that miners initially performed most operations manually. They dug out coal and transported it using wheelbarrows.

The next collection presents trolleys and the progress that started in Bulgaria after 1896. Horses were used in coal transportation during that period. Today, you can see a model horse inside the mining museum.

Pernik’s mining museum houses 30 collections.

The entrance fee is three leva for adults and a single lev for children. Keep in mind that the mine maintains the same temperature year-round. If you are visiting during the summer, remember to bring a sweater, since you will otherwise feel uncomfortable during the lecture.