The National Museum of Natural History in Sofia, Bulgaria

The National Museum of Natural History in Sofia, Bulgaria is hands down the worst museum I've ever visited. I feel kind of bad about criticizing it, because I really think that it's important to visit museums and educational tourism sites when you're traveling. So don't take this review to mean that I'm anti-museum or anti-Sofia or anything other than what it is, which is a scathing review of a really crummy museum. This just so happened to be the one museum that I chose to visit, there were other choices, but this was my pick. If you happen to end up in Sofia, Bulgaria, there are plenty of great tourist activities and lots to see and do. Just don't pick this museum.

What they should've named this museum is, "The Museum of Death", because that's essentially what it is, a bunch of dead stuffed animals. But I guess it's not fair to solely blame the animal kingdom for the macabre show, because there's also plenty of dead insects and vegetable matter as well. It's room after room after room of display case after display case of death. Listen, I'm not anti-taxidermist. It's just a little bit overwhelming seeing corpses in those sheer numbers. One might also think that with all those specimens you would get some pretty interesting plaques or information to go along with the countless examples of natural life that has since expired. But nope, there wasn't really anything in the way of educational help or learning to be found.

You might think that a museum of natural history would tackle subject matter like, oh say, land mass or weather patterns, or the history of the animals that are thriving in the country or natural patterns in local vegetation. But no, it was just lots of stuffed birds and preserved fish and bug specimens. Some of them not very well preserved either.

But wait, I am forgetting to tell you something. There was one display case in a stairwell with a live snake. However, also cowering in the corner of the cage was a young rabbit. Lunch, no doubt. Perhaps it was a display about the circle of life, and how it always ends in death.

On the upside, the museum wasn't crowded. In fact, there was nobody else in the entire place. Let this be a sign to you, if you should happen to find yourself in a foreign country and you are wondering whether or not to go into a museum, take a cue from the crowds. If there's not a soul around, take it as a hint that this might not be the best place to spend your travel budget.

If you are a taxidermist, then I highly recommend that you visit this museum. You can find information about it online or ask your hotel or hostel staff about it once you are in Bulgaria. Admission is cheap, and cheap is always good. If you are not a taxidermist or a funeral planner or a formaldehyde dealer, I'd go ahead and skip this museum.