National Museum "Earth and People"

National Museum "Earth and People" is a mineralogical museum in the center of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

It is one of the largest mineralogical museums in the world. The date of its foundation is considered to be December 30, 1985, and it was opened to the public in June 1987. The initiator of the museum was Doctor of Science Mikhail Maleev.

The museum is located in the original old and reconstructed building, built in the late XIX century (1896-1898). The total area of the museum is about 4,000 square meters.

In addition to exhibition halls, the museum includes stock facilities, laboratories, a video hall, a conference room. The collection contains more than 40% of the known minerals of natural origin: huge crystals, rare minerals, precious, semi-precious stones. In addition, samples of artificial ceramics created by Bulgarian scientists are exhibited.

Visitors are presented not only permanent exhibitions, often the exhibition halls of the museum are used for exhibitions of another direction and performances of chamber orchestras.