The Historical Museum is one of the oldest scientific and cultural institutions in Vidin, an important public center for the preservation, research, and promotion of cultural and historical heritage.
The beginnings of museum work in the Vidin region date back to 1910, when an Archaeological Society was established and the first museum collection was organized. After the wars in the mid-1920s, the archaeological society “Bononia” intensified its collecting activities and, under the leadership of teacher Vasil Atanasov, arranged an exhibition consisting mainly of numismatic materials and Bulgarian embroideries in the building of the old Turkish post office.
The place of the Vidin Museum within the national museum network has been firmly established through its achievements in developing museum exhibitions, structuring its departments, and its contributions to scientific research.
The museum has a well-developed and comprehensive structure that corresponds to its general historical profile:
- Archaeology (with sections “Prehistory,” “Antiquity,” and “Middle Ages”) – the department’s rich exhibition is housed in the fully restored building of the Konaka (1977).
- Numismatics – the fund numbers over 30,000 coins.
- Ethnography – the exhibition is located in the “Krastata Kazarma” museum since 1969.
- Bulgarian Lands (15th–19th centuries) – the exhibition is arranged in the Konaka.
- Modern History
- Contemporary History
- Public Relations
The museum’s library fund, numbering over 4,600 volumes, serves both museum specialists and numerous institutions, citizens, students, and pupils.
The museum’s fund, storing over 63,000 exhibits, are maintained by qualified museum professionals—historians and philologists.
