The Museum of Photography and Contemporary Visual Arts was created for a purpose: to present the history and evolution of photography in both technical and artistic aspects, both localy in our country and world wild. As unic institution in the field, the museum emphasizes the Bulgarian contribution in photography.

The Museum of Photography and Contemporary Visual Arts receives photographs and documents, photographic equipment, consumables and materials from different historical periods from the development of this industry. The permanent exhibition of the museum on Chudomir Street in Kazanlak shows various interesting collections of cameras produced and used all over the world.

The oldest camera that can be seen here is dated from 1880. The camera works with glass plates measuring 13×18. It is remaining in very good condition.

Still the most valuable object is a specialized book, containing instructions for photography dated from 1904 and is the work of Stoyan Georgiev.

The museum exhibits a collection of box cameras from France, Italy and Germany, collections of film cameras – “Smyana”, “Kiev”, “Zenith”, “Beirette”, “Nikon”, “Fed”, “Polaroid” and others, Kodak and Agfa cameras from different periods. A unic object is a camera with a replaceable back, that works with both: plates and film.

Visitors can see also a few Spy cameras from the Czech Republic and Germany from the period 1930-1940 are among the most valuable exhibits, as well as a Stereo Camera from the period 1909-1912.

There are also cameras with a double lens (Twin Lens Reflex), a collection of film cameras and video cameras is exhibited. You can see different types of plates, photo paper and film for photo and cinema cameras. The method of processing the tapes and various equipment for processing photos, such as photo enlargers, colorimeters, gloss presses, are also shown. Among the items of historical value that belonged to prominent figures is a camera used by the poet Nikola Vaptsarov – a hero from the communist era of the country.

The Museum of Photography and Contemporary Visual Arts already has its audience. Visitors to the museum could also discover a  modern technologies, including digital ones. The collection logically passes through the period in which cameras working with floppy disks and memory cards gradually entered, to reach today’s modern digital cameras. Thus, the museum tells about the famous and unknown, professional and amateur photographers of Bulgaria, and tells about their achievements not only in photography, but also through their abilities for technical mastery of the means of expression through the capabilities of the technique.

The museum also keeps a rich collection of books and magazines base on the history of photography and cinematography. There are a lots of books/magazines, with advices on the use of different types of cameras and instructions for taking, composing, copying or printing photos.

The library funds are holding also foreign-language publications for amateur photographers who are just beginning their journey into the secrets of the art of light.

There are also numerous albums by professional photographers, catalogs from salons, open-air exhibitions, festivals and competitive exhibitions, both in Bulgaria and abroad.