Regional Historical Museum in Burgas is the biggest museum in southeast Bulgaria. It was created in 1912 as a private archaeological museum at the Burgas society for archeology "Debelt" a group of intellectuals and pleaders for the recreation and research of the historical past of the Burgas region. The first chairman of the Archaeological Society is governor "Hristo Bogoev" of the Burgas region and the first director of the museum was named Paul Vodenicharov. During the following 30 years the first museum collections have been assembled with unique archaeological and ethnographic valuables. In 1946 members of the society assigned the museum to the municipality and hereby it was declared a People’s Museum of Burgas. The young scholar and archaeologist Ivan Galabov was appointed director (1918 - 1978), he laid the foundations of the modern science and archaeology in the Burgas region. Later on, he became a professor at the University of Veliko Turnovo "St. Cyril and St. Methodius" and the Universities in Salzburg and Vienna.
In 1953 the museum expanded to a County Museum and was later converted into a Regional Directorate for Cultural and historical heritage. Since 2000 according to a ministerial decree the museum was approved for Regional Museum of Burgas County, which organizes research and study of cultural heritage in the region, the museum store the cultural heritage in it’s fund and display it for the audience.

Cultural, historical resources and tourist activity:

• During the last 10 years the Regional Historical Museum, Burgas is an active cultural and scientific institution built as a modern network of four major museum exhibitions in the heart of the regional center. The exhibitions are situated in four separated buildings - beautiful cultural monuments located in the city center.
• Working at the museum are highly qualified and internationally known scientists in the research and socialization of cultural and historical heritage linked with the tourism development in Burgas region.
• Experts from the museum-organized and guided archaeological research, conservation and restoration of cultural values, explore the intangible cultural heritage: customs, traditional culture, folklore, collecting samples from nature and conduct environmental education programs with students; processing, store and publishing historical archives and collections of records on the history of local settlements, historical events and personalities.
• RIM Burgas coordinates state and municipal policies in Burgas area for storage and use of cultural heritage; the museum conducts conservation and management of cultural valuables included in the development of national, regional and municipal projects and programs. The museum has established a well functioning all-year-round tourist and educational program for presentation of the Bulgarian national traditions, folklore and crafts with the participation of professional artists and amateurs. During the summer the museum organizes courses for children, where they can learn more about the traditional customs and handcrafts. RIM Burgas offers the young specialists a chance to participate at the archaeological field survey as a part of their student training.
• The museum has accomplished over 25 projects - some of them independently whilst others in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the municipalities of Burgas, Primorsko, Sozopol, Malko Tarnovo, Kamelia Tsarevo, educational institutions and NGOs.
• RIM Burgas participates in international projects in partnership with museums in Valencia, Vienna, Warsaw, Kırklareli on the conservation and socialization of cultural heritage, educational programs and cultural tourism.

Accomplished projects in 2009:

1. Archaeological survey and restoration of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist - Sozopol, in partnership with Ministry of Culture and Sozopol Municipality.
2. Archaeological survey aiming to continue the research on the medieval fortress Rusokastro – the project offers alternative jobs at the archaeological site, which is a great help in this underdeveloped area. Partners are Municipality Kameno and Foundation Rusokastron.
3. Winning first prize at the National Competition “Living Human Treasures” encouraged by UNESCO with the project "Nestinarstvo (Fire dancing) - a living magic with fire”, in partnership with dancers from the village of Bulgari and supported by the Municipality Tsarevo.

Main activities of RIM Burgas:

• Trace, purchase and acquire movable culture heritage, archives of eminent personalities and important historical events associated with the city and region history, objects with art or scientific value, and nature samples.
• Conduct field studies, archeological excavations, ethnographical, natural-history and complex expeditions in the territory of the municipality, region and country.
• Provides legal and physical protection, as well as carry out conservation and reservation of finds - movable cultural monuments and nature samples, preserved in their funds.
• Assisting registration, research and preservation of immovable cultural heritage in the Burgas region.
• Supporting scientific processes and registration of movable monuments - owned by other entities and individuals in the territory of Burgas municipality and region.
• Providing methodological assistance to private museum collections of legal organizations and individuals approved by the Ministry of Culture on the territory of Burgas municipality.
• Develop theme-structural and exhibition plans, organizes museum exhibitions, permanent and temporal exhibitions. Participate in joint exhibitions on local and national level in the country and abroad.
• Develop general and specialized talks and lectures in the museums and beyond. Work on scientific issues related to the history, culture and environment of the Burgas region, including museum and regional studies.
• Develops and organizes educational programs of promotional purposes on the usage of movable and immovable cultural monuments of local and national significance.
• Participate and organize municipal, regional, national and international meetings, celebrations, conferences and scientific symposia.
• Compile and issue independently and jointly with other entities and individuals for scientific works, popular science guides, and promotional local history publications.
• Coordinate the work between all cultural institutions in the Burgas region.
• Provides information, contribute to scientific exchanges and contacts with all related institutes in the country and abroad according to regulations of the Ministry of Culture.
• Manage, assign and supervise the conservation/restoration works in buildings (monuments of culture), where museum activities are taking place in the territory of Burgas municipality.
• Organize the documentation of museum valuables and cultural monuments with the help of photo, video, and other such methods; dissemination and usage for advertisement and commercial purposes in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Culture and the laws of Republic Bulgaria and European Union.
• Create and participate in non-profit associations with other legal entities or individuals at local, national and international level.