The Bagpipe Museum is an interactive museum in the Rhodope village of Stoykite, Smolyan municipality, at about 1,400 m above sea level. It opened on 25 June 2022, just before the third Apostol Kisyov National Bagpipe Festival.
The exhibition follows the bagpipe from the early 20th century to today in seven sections. Visitors choose the recordings they hear, and videos are projected on the walls. There is a planetarium room with cosmic sounds and bagpipe music, and a reconstruction of the workshop of the bagpipe maker Bay Dafo Trendafilov.
Among the most interesting exhibits is the bagpipe heard in "Izlel e Delyo Haydutin", sung by Valya Balkanska — the song that flies in space. The oldest bagpiper, Ivan Petkov Bozukov, born in 1888, and the youngest, six-year-old Stefan Ivanov, are featured too. Around the portrait of Apostol Kisyov, the names of the 333 bagpipers of the 2012 Guinness record are written on leather.
Stoykite is the home village of the folklorist Apostol Kisyov (1924–2007), founder of the "100 Kaba Gaydi" orchestra. The exhibition was put together entirely from donations — over 100 donors from Bulgaria’s seven folklore regions. The initiative came from a committee chaired by his daughter-in-law, Maria Kisyova.
Visits are by prior arrangement.
Smolyan region
4.1 km away
Smolyan region
4.5 km away
Stoykite Bagpipe Museum is located in Smolyan, Bulgaria.
Stoykite Bagpipe Museum is most easily reached by car. Use the coordinates above to navigate, or open the location in OpenStreetMap or your preferred maps app for turn-by-turn directions. Public transport options vary by region — for remote destinations a rental car gives the most flexibility.
Stoykite Bagpipe Museum can be visited year-round. Verify current opening hours directly with the museum before your visit, as schedules change seasonally and on public holidays.
Opening hours and admission fees vary, and most Bulgarian museums close one day per week (commonly Monday). Verify current schedules and prices directly with the museum or the local tourist information office before visiting Stoykite Bagpipe Museum, especially on public holidays.
