National Archaeological Institute with Museum

The National Archaeological Institute with Museum occupies the former Great Mosque (Buyuk Dzhamiya) at ul. Saborna 2, in the centre of Sofia, Bulgaria, across from the Presidency and near the Serdica ruins. The mosque was built in the late 15th century in the early Ottoman style, with a large central dome and nine smaller domes on a square hall, and it was converted into the National Archaeological Museum, which opened in the early 20th century. The institute, run in association with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, is one of the country's leading archaeological research bodies, and its museum holds a rich collection from prehistoric, Thracian, Greek, Roman and medieval Bulgaria. Displays include prehistoric pottery and figurines, Thracian gold, silver and bronze objects, sculpture and funerary monuments, Roman inscriptions and statues, and medieval jewellery, coins and ceramics. The presentation is mostly chronological, with objects shown in cases and on plinths under the building's domes, which gives the interior a spacious and light atmosphere. The architecture of the former mosque, with its thick stone walls and domes, is itself of interest, and the building is among the oldest surviving Ottoman structures in the capital. The museum has been closed for extended renovation and conservation periods, including structural strengthening and gallery redesign, so visitors should check the current opening situation before arriving. Its location makes it an easy addition to a walk past the Serdica complex, the Rotunda and Sveta Nedelya Church. Information is usually offered in Bulgarian and English, and the staff can answer questions about the collection. A visit gives a concentrated overview of the archaeological heritage of Bulgaria, from the earliest settlements to the medieval kingdoms.