Dear colleagues,

In 2026, the National Ethnographic Museum celebrates its 120th anniversary – an occasion to take stock and evaluate its role in the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, its public position, as well as future prospects for its development. On the occasion of the anniversary, the Scientific Group of NEM is pleased to invite you to the seventh edition of the conference series “Debates in Museology”, entitled “Museums – Bridges. Generations, Cultures, Communities”.

In their halls and exhibitions, museums create a unique environment in which the material evidence of human history – artifacts, objects, works of art, come to life through the stories of the people who created or used them. This creates an atmosphere of dialogue, mutual respect and shared understanding, which encourages critical thinking, cultural exchange and personal enrichment. In a world characterised by increasing social fragmentation and polarisation, as well as unequal access to knowledge and cultural content, museums are establishing themselves as important centers for overcoming these divisions. They stand out as peculiar “bridges” that connect the past with the present, different generations, as well as individual communities and cultures.

Modern museums increasingly strive to be open, inclusive and accessible to everyone – regardless of gender, age, social status, ethnicity or physical abilities. Through a variety of educational programs, interactive exhibitions and digital platforms, they not only preserve and promote cultural heritage, but also actively work to build a more sustainable, just and solidary society. In this sense, museums are characterised as dynamic centers of cultural memory, social interaction and inspiration for future generations.

The main goal of the conference is to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, the presentation of scientific research and good practices, as well as for a discussion of perspectives in the conditions of a rapidly changing reality.

We invite researchers, museum specialists, teachers, students and representatives of cultural institutions to join and contribute their knowledge and experience to the development of museum science and practice in Bulgaria.

Thematic scope:

  • Museums in development – ​​opportunities and limits in the third decade of the 21st century.
  • Anatomy of the visual message: current trends in museum design and scenography
  • “Living” exhibitions and “pulsating” spaces – captivating museum stories
  • In the restoration studio – endangered objects and their preservation
  • What is “worth” collecting and preserving – collections, collection policies and cultural memory
  • On the art of surprise – communication with audiences.
  • Education is an adventure – the museum as a classroom.
  • Museum diplomacy. Building a bridge over the fence – the museum as a mediator and ambassador.
  • Exhibitions as a digital landscape. Digitisation and mobile applications for museums.
  • The museum in the crosshairs – war and theft. The modernity that put the past under fire.

Send your applications for participation to the email address edu.iefem.conf@gmail.com by June 26, 2026, indicating your name, institution and position held, title of the report, short summary, email and contact phone number.

Details can be found on the website of the National Ethnographic Museum (IEFEM-BAS).

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