These objects had joined the NMH collections either after archaeological excavations, or through donations and purchases, while a considerable number was given to the NMH by other state institutions.
The exhibition unfolds at the central foyer of the NMH, where visitors can see archaeological finds dating from the 6th millennium BC to the 18th century. The Neolithic and Bronze periods are represented by stone and copper tools, ceramic vessels and religious objects, among which – a unique stone sceptre.
Outstanding finds from excavations sites in the village of Dabene, Karlovo Region, are treated with due respect. Among them we can see golden adorned items, a unique gold dagger and a silver lidded box, a bronze knife with gold plate on the grip, decorated ceramic vessels and glass beads that can be the earliest finds of the kind in Europe. All these items are dating back to the Early Bronze Age (third millennium BC).
From the same period, we see a group of objects unearthed in the region of Haskovo: a tinned bronze dagger that bears textile traces, adornments of silver and rock crystal, bronze axes; various daggers, a bronze mace and a bronze sword, ceramic vessels, etc., all found in various sites.
From the Early Iron period, we can see silver objects found by chance near the village of Panayot Hittovo; gold and silver pieces of jewellery from various Bulgarian sites; weapons, ceramics and adornments, etc.
Visitors can also see various examples of Thracian weaponry, red-figure craters, exquisite terracotta artefacts, marble stelae, pieces of jewellery and amulets of precious metals, toilet articles, pieces of a small bronze sculpture, Thracian votive carvings in relief, marble plastic representations, and exquisite vessels made of glass, clay and bronze, etc. from the Roman times and Late Antiquity. It is worth mentioning the fine silver mirror from the excavations near the town of Karnobat and the bronze ceremonial greave with decoration in relief.
From the Bulgarian middle ages we have various groups of adornments and rare objects from the everyday life, pieces of iron weaponry of the 1st and 2nd Bulgarian Kingdoms together with tools and items from various workshops, a set of weights, breast and procession crosses. A unique stand of a church plate made of gilt-copper alloy decorated with enamels of different colours is of special interest.
Two hoards of 17th century silver adornments belong to the Bulgarian period of the Late Middle Ages.
Last but not least, the exhibition also has a section for coins of the Paeonian king Patraus (340–315 BC), the Bulgarian king Ivan Stratsimir (1360–1396) and a group of rare foreign 20th century gold coins of heavier weight.