The majority of museums in Bulgaria are those of national history. During the state socialism they were assigned the task of narration and illustration of the nation state, as well as glorification of the communist party. In sprite of the numerous changes in the political, social and economical life in ...
(Show more)The majority of museums in Bulgaria are those of national history. During the state socialism they were assigned the task of narration and illustration of the nation state, as well as glorification of the communist party. In sprite of the numerous changes in the political, social and economical life in Bulgaria after 1989, most of the museums haven’t changed their exhibition policy yet, i.e. they haven’t reconceptualized their perceptions and views of the past. The problematic issue of representing the ambivalent socialist legacy has mainly turned scholarly attention, rather than that of the museum professionals.
This paper would discuss the role of the museums in the construction of national narratives of the past and the opportunities for innovation in their exhibition policy. It would approach the opportunities for representing the controversies of the socialist past within the museum institution, thus turning it into a place for open discussion and debate.
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