Founded in 1935 by Stoyu Nedelev SHISHKOV – genealogist, teacher, publisher, museum worker and public figure with European dimensions, the Historical Museum in Smolyan is the largest museum preserving the memory of the population living in the central part of the Rhodope region during the various historical epoch.

Today, the Stoyu Shishkov Regional History Museum bears with dignity the name of its founder and pursues a policy of searching for, studying, preserving and promoting the movable monuments of the history, way of life and culture of the Central Rhodope region.

Through its unique collections, showing all the cultural diversity and millennial traditions, through its research and promotion resources, building a network of successful partnerships, the museum works for the benefit of society – for its spiritual enrichment and inspiration by returning to roots and learning about different cultures.

HISTORY

On May 26, 1935, during the celebration of the anniversary of Stoyu Shishkov, dedicated to half a century of public benefit and 70 years since his birth, he announced his idea to establish a museum in his native Ustovo. For „building a hall in which to arrange the Central Rhodope and Thracian Ethnographic Museum“ the jubilee made a personal donation in the amount of 50 thousand gold levs. A month later, the funds were deposited in the Ustovska popular bank to the account of the Chitalishte „Progress“ for settling the museum. By Order № 1141 of May 8, 1937 of the Minister of National Education, regulations of the Ethnographic Museum in the village of Ustovo were approved. On the basis of the special instruction from the end of 1951 for protection of the monuments of culture and development of the museum work in Bulgaria of the Committee for Science, Art and Culture in the village of Raykovo the Rhodope National Museum was established, whose activity was initially ethnographic, but gradually revealed historical, archaeological and artistic departments. In 1967 the museum was transformed into a district historical. Since 2002 the Historical Museum in Smolyan has been officially named after its founder Stoyu Shishkov, since 2006 it has been performing regional functions on the territory of Smolyan region. In terms of thematic scope, it is general historical.