Beloslav museum offers immersive experience into history, artistry of glass
Glass, one of the most amazing materials that humanity has discovered and mastered, starts with some inconspicuous sand. When heated to the right temperature and with the proper additives, it turns into a mesmerising molten lava that can take any type of shape – from window panes to vases to decorations.
People discovered glass possibly about 3,600 years ago in Mesopotamia. Initially, only the wealthiest could afford to wear glass bead jewellery, to perfume themselves with rare attars kept in elegant phials, to feast with colourful cups and goblets with lavish ornamentation, to adorn their homes with glass windows and chandeliers. Many centuries later the industrial revolution democratised production and glass became ubiquitous.
Glass production still has the power to awe, and you can experience it firsthand in Bulgaria's only Glass Museum. It is located in Beloslav, a little known industrial town not far from Varna.
The Glass Museum in Beloslav is intrinsically connected to the history of glass production in Bulgaria. It is located on the premises of an active glass production company, Inhom. A private enterprise, Inhom is the successor of Bulgaria's first glassworks, which was founded in Beloslav in 1893.
The most exciting part of the Glass Museum are the live demonstrations in the furnace workshop. There, for about seven minutes, an experienced glassblower will heat glass to a temperature of 1500-1800ºC and will create some delicate blown-glass objects in front of you. You can also try your hand at painting pre-made glass pieces as bespoke souvenirs from your visit.
After the demonstration, you will move on to the main museum exhibition – its displays in fact a colourful kaleidoscope of various glass items, including glass headlights for Lada cars and washing machine doors, produced during the Communist period. It also shows unique works of art, a glass "river," and even a glass "cave" – a glassmaking furnace long out of use, but still telling the story of an impressive craft.
The Glass Museum in Beloslav is open 10 am to 2 pm Wednesdays to Sundays.
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Vibrant Communities: Spotlight on Bulgaria's Living Heritage is a series of articles, initiated by Vagabond Magazine and realised by the Free Speech Foundation, with the generous support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, that aims to provide details and background of places, cultural entities, events, personalities and facts of life that are sometimes difficult to understand for the outsider in the Balkans. The ultimate aim is the preservation of Bulgaria's cultural heritage – including but not limited to archaeological, cultural and ethnic diversity. The statements and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the FSI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the America for Bulgaria Foundation or its affiliates.
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