Naval Museum

The Naval Museum sits at the southern end of the sea garden, on the waterfront where the park meets the port. It covers the history of the Bulgarian Navy from its founding in 1879, with displays of naval equipment, weapons, and documents spanning World War One, World War Two, and the Communist period. The collection includes submarines, torpedoes, mines, and navigation instruments, as well as a good section on the merchant marine tradition of the Black Sea coast.

The highlight, outdoors and visible from the path, is the torpedo boat Drazki — a small but historically significant vessel that in 1912 sank an Ottoman cruiser in the Black Sea. Standing beside it gives you a vivid sense of how small and vulnerable early 20th-century naval vessels actually were. The museum is well-maintained and the staff are knowledgeable; visits are most rewarding if you have some interest in naval or Balkan history.

things to do museum sea garden
A story
The torpedo boat Drazki — displayed outside the museum — fired the shot that sank the Ottoman cruiser Hamidiye on 21 November 1912, during the First Balkan War. It was the first torpedo attack to successfully sink a warship in the Balkan theatre. The Drazki was a small French-built vessel, 38 metres long and crewed by 30 men; attacking a much larger armoured cruiser at night required considerable nerve. The engagement established the Bulgarian Navy's reputation and the Drazki became a national symbol. The ship has been preserved here since 1954.