The location Ruse
On 15 September 2026, the travelling exhibition ‘Danube Ports: History, Architecture, People’ opened at the Regional History Museum in Ruse. Following stops in Budapest, Ulm and Novi Sad, the exhibition is now on display in the Lower Danube region for the first time.
Through 25 exhibition panels and examples from 15 cities along the Danube, the exhibition tells the story of the ports as centres of trade and transport, urban development and architecture, as well as the exchange of people and ideas. The focus is on the various forms and functions of the Danube ports – from historic landing stages and marketplaces to modern commercial ports and the contemporary redevelopment of former port areas.
Prof. Dr. Máté Tamáska and Prof. Dr. Reinhard Johler
At the opening of the exhibition ‘Danube Ports: History, Architecture, People’ in Ruse (from left to right): Prof. Dr Reinhard Johler, Prof. Dr Galina Ivanova, Vice-Rector of the University of Ruse, PD Dr Daniela Simon and Prof. Dr Nikolay Nenov, Director of the Ruse Regional History Museum
The exhibition in Ruse comes at a significant time: Bulgaria will hold the presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in 2026. Against this backdrop, the exhibition attracted a great deal of attention. In Ruse in particular – one of Bulgaria’s major port cities – it is evident just how closely the history of the ports is linked to the development and interconnectedness of the entire Danube region. The exhibition thus addresses key issues that are also significant for today’s cooperation and exchange in the Danube region.
The exhibition is expected to run for one month in Ruse and will be shown in the Romanian port city of Brăila in 2027.