Team members:

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VESSELA GERTCHEVA –CONSULTANT

MARTINA NOVAKOVA- DRAMATURG

MARIA MANOLOVA- JOURNALIST

ANTONIA DEVETAKOVA- ARTIST

VASIL ATANASOV- PROGRAMMER

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We formed this cross-disciplinary team to take part in a competition for a new exhibition at the Historical Museum in Dimitrovgrad on the theme of the Brigadier Movement in Bulgaria.

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We won second place with the following concept:

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The goal of this project is to create a vibrant experience for visitors from every target audience – students and young people, foreign tourists, the broader public from Bulgaria, as well as the local community in Dimitrovgrad.

 

Different ages, nationalities, and levels of knowledge imply different needs and interests. In the following slides, we will explore what each group of museum visitors requires, as well as the most suitable solutions for them.

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By creating a modern exhibition for a diverse audience, our main goal is to educate visitors in an accessible and engaging way while preserving and showcasing local identity. The new exhibition is built upon several key messages:

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• Dimitrovgrad was built through ideals, hard work, and self-sacrifice. Collective ideals go hand in hand with the personal experiences of the city’s builders and residents.

• The city symbolizes the intersection of hope and reality. Instead of a one-dimensional “official” history, we examine a collection of perspectives.

• The legacy of socialism continues to live on today. The construction of the city is not an isolated event with a start and end date, but part of our collective history and present.

• The past holds lessons for the future. Understanding and reflecting on our history helps us make informed decisions for the future.

Our proposal for the exhibition interior includes the following key solutions:

 • The museum space is divided into 8 thematic zones, which create a coherent narrative and gradually guide visitors through the key topics.

• A consistent visitor path is established with a single entrance and exit.

• The division of the two halls into smaller spaces allows for the gradual unveiling of the exhibition to the visitor and a progression of the experience.

• Each zone is designed for maximum impact – the exhibition elements, colors, and lighting work in harmony to immerse the visitor in the specific theme.

• The spaces are united in a cohesive story but separated and designed for unobstructed passage while adhering to all accessibility and evacuation standards.

• The glazing of both halls is minimized to ensure a suitable environment for audio-visual elements and proper climate control within the spaces.