Where else, if not at the Etar Museum?
The Regional Open-Air Ethnographic Museum “Etar” in Gabrovo is the natural initiator and home of a craft exhibition. A consistent leader among the top three most visited tourist sites in Bulgaria, both nationally and internationally, the museum is widely considered the Mecca of Bulgarian crafts. Built along the banks of the Sivek River, a tributary of the Yantra, it features reconstructions of Revival-era houses and water-powered workshops, where real masters still practice their trades—sometimes the last living representatives of their craft.
Beyond its educational mission, which it fulfills in an engaging and accessible way for all ages, the museum is also a beloved place for outdoor walks, relaxation, and contemplation of the harmony created by nature and human hands.
The New Valuable is one of the highlights of the program of the 19th International Fair of Traditional Crafts at the museum. The fair is another record-holder in terms of visitor numbers – over 15,000 people pass through Etar during the fair days. With a rich program of exhibitions and events, and a bustling marketplace featuring artisan goods and live demonstrations, it is the only craft fair in Bulgaria curated with a museum concept.
Kolcho Krustnikov’s Building – The New Exhibition Space
Krustnik-Kolchov's building, the largest building in the open-air exhibition, now houses the newly created Museum Centre. Since 2024, for the first time in the museum’s history, all three floors of the building have been open to visitors.
Фотограф: Росина Пенчева
Фотограф: Тихомир Пенов, РЕМО Етър
The building itself is modeled after a real building that once stood in the center of Gabrovo. It is said that national heroes such as Vasil Levski, Atanas Uzunov, and Stefan Stambolov once stayed there. The renovated exhibition hall on the first floor now boasts professional lighting and modern display functionality, but the authentic wooden ceilings and stone floors still carry the spirit of the era when Krustnik-Kolcho’s Inn was alive with activity—coffee being served, deals being made, whispers of revolution echoing through the halls.
This historically rich space is where The New Valuable unfolds its array of masterfully crafted objects, created by talented contemporary artisans.
