40 years ago on the 23rd of April the first sod for the building of the Architectural-ethnographic Complex "Etar" was turned. That is a cause for returning to the history of its building.
    The idea for the building of the complex belongs to Lazar Ivanov Donkov - a self-educated artist; the first director of the museum. Already in 1950s he has gone about the Gabrovian villages and made hundreds sketches and drawings of Revival houses, craft workshops, technical equipment and tools.
    In 1961 Lazar Donkov offered a suggestion to the town council. On the 23rd of April 1963 it was made a start with lay the beginning of the museum brought world fame to the town of Gabrovo.
    There are lots of writings for Etara, but there are not many people who know the hardships that its building had gone through. A small group of people has built practically everything that we see in Etara today.

    Through photos the exhibition "Etara - dream, tradition, succession" shows the history of the building of the museum. The return photos are a dear memory and a touch of the youth for every eyewitness and participant in the hard way of the building. The exhibition shows photos from the opening of the museum, the ground that it's built on, the building of any particular site; photos with the first builders and craftsmen. The sketches, plans and hand-written notes of Lazar Donkov, as well as another documents connected with the building of the museum are shown here.

    The exhibition is open in the Exhibition Hall of the museum to the end of April.