State Honour for the National Museum of Military History on the Occasion of Its 110th Anniversary

With recognition for its significant contribution to preserving Bulgaria’s historical memory, the National Museum of Military History (NMMH) is marking its 110th anniversary. During the official opening of the jubilee exhibition “Kaleidoscope of Memory,” President Iliana Iotova awarded the museum with the Honorary Sign of the President.
In an emotional address, President Iliana Iotova recalled that the National Museum of Military History had been established at a time of hardship, to preserve the memory of the Bulgarian soldier’s exploit and to pass it on as a legacy to future generations. She noted that the museum is much more than a place where history is preserved, but that it is a guardian of the Bulgarian spirit, warriors’ valour, and the values that forge us into a nation and guide us forward.
“One hundred and ten years ago, Bulgarians and patriots decided to establish a museum. A house of memory. Memory of the feats of the Bulgarian soldier, so that it could be passed on as a legacy to future generations. This is a museum of the Bulgarian spirit. Of the warrior’s spirit. Of what makes us a people, what made us a nation, and what has carried us from the past into the future,” the President emphasized.

The Director of the National Museum of Military History, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonya Penkova, described the museum as a place that, for 110 years, has preserved not only artefacts, but also the memory, values and human face of Bulgaria. She emphasized that today, more than ever, the museum’s role is to serve as a bridge between the past and the future, building communities founded on knowledge, responsibility, and respect for Bulgarian history.
“Today, as the world faces new divisions and conflicts, museums take upon the most important task — not only to preserve the heritage and the memory, but also to preserve our humanity. This is the mission the National Museum of Military History has been fulfilling for 110 years. Generations of museum professionals with dedication and professionalism have collected and preserved fragments of history encoded in every single artefact, so that they can carry us into the future,” she added.
The event was also attended by Nadia Mladenova, the President’s Chief of Staff, advisers and secretaries, the Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, the Minister of Education and Science Prof. Georgi Valchev, the Deputy Minister of Defence Lyubomir Monov, the Deputy Minister of Culture Assoc. Prof. Dr. Plamen Slavov, representatives of the political and military leadership of the Ministry of Defence and the Bulgarian Armed Forces, directors of national and regional museums, representatives of cultural and civil society organizations, scholars, the Museum’s long-standing partners and friends.
To mark its anniversary, on 3 July (Friday), the museum will work with free admission from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Only on 3 July, the exhibition will feature a selection of exceptionally valuable and rarely displayed artefacts — the grand collar of the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius, whose sole recipient and Grand Master was the monarch, as well as the official state and everyday scepters of Tsar Boris III — these are among the most valuable royal symbols, commissioned for the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne, that he never received due to his untimely death.