Entomology Exhibition in the National Museum of Natural History at BAS

The project for the new permanent exhibition in the “Entomology” hall is the result of our joint work with the team of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. As architects, we first explored the space and drew inspiration both from the interior and from the museum building as a whole. The building is particularly interesting as it was the first of its kind in Sofia at the time — constructed in the 1930s specifically to serve as a museum. For this reason, we decided to preserve and highlight the existing spaces and details of the interior. The most characteristic interior element is the mosaic floor, and our project therefore aims to keep it as visible as possible. We also use the historic insect display boxes as a link to the past and to the history of entomological research.

In developing the concept, the museum team participated actively with their expertise, while our role was to translate the scientific information into a spatial and sensory language. In this way, we were able to highlight, through various approaches, both the systematic aspect of the information and the more holistic stories about the lives of insects and their coexistence with us.

The suspended wall in the middle of the hall is the literal and metaphorical backbone of the exhibition. Using a systematic method, this wall presents scientific knowledge about the structure of insects — who they are, what distinguishes them from other species, and what distinguishes them from one another.

The holistic section offers a series of immersive experiences, such as a fieldwork cabinet, where visitors learn how the study of insects in Bulgaria began and how it takes place today. In the night bar, visitors are immersed in the sounds and nocturnal activities of insects. The shared apartment, the beehive, and many other scenarios emphasize the place of insects in our lives and in the world as a whole.

The overarching idea of the exhibition, which unifies and gives meaning to all these narratives, is “The Butterfly Effect.” It is based on the understanding that every action or small change influences the whole, most often in ways that are unpredictable to us. The central idea and the approaches through which it is presented highlight the growing need for contemporary exhibitions to present facts and interdependencies in a holistic, accessible, and engaging way for visitors.