Varna's main art gallery is named after Boris Georgiev (1888–1962), a Bulgarian painter who studied in Munich and Vienna and spent much of his career abroad before returning to donate a large collection to his home city. The gallery holds a substantial permanent collection of Bulgarian art from the 19th century to the present, including Georgiev's own paintings and a good selection of work by the generation of artists who studied in Europe around the turn of the 20th century.
Temporary exhibitions rotate through the upper floors and tend to be well-chosen. The building itself — a substantial neo-Renaissance structure near the centre — is worth a look from outside even if you don't go in. If you have any interest in Bulgarian art history or want a break from archaeological sites and seawater, this is a worthwhile stop; it rarely feels crowded.