The origins of folk art and its development in Troyan and its vicinity go far back to the 14th and early 15th centuries. Troyan arose as a settlement along the Roman military road running along the present-day site of the Troyan monastery. Throughout the National Revival period (18th -19th centuries) Troyan was known as an active center of the crafts. It had its market of craftsmen`s shops and later developed the Troyan fair around the Troyan monastery. Troyan wares were sold at markets in Istanbul, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Romania. The museum exposition, opened in 1968 is only a small part of the rich collections of traditional and contemporary folk art. The popularity of the Troyan ceramic wares school which arose during the National Revival period drew on talented and experienced craftsmen who created practical and beautiful vessels. The prevailing gamut are soft earth tones - yellow, brown, green, while decoration is of three types - angoba, incised, sgraphito. During the 20th century increasing competition on the market led to changes in the style of traditional Troyan pottery. The gamut became brighter. Various patterns of the Troyan design emerged and were brought to perfection - this pottery is still produced to this day.

Troyan Craftsmen were also famous for their woodwork. Skilled Troyan cartwrights produced carts, yokes, a betrothal trunk, wooden granary vessels, wooden cowl staffs, the wooden vodnik (a rack for copper water vessels), long wooden seats along the walls and carved iconostases. Household objects made on a lathe such as paralia ( a low round three-legged table), wooden wheat grinders, various types of small wooden saltcellars, wooden wine flask, wooden bowls, distaffs had a simple style of decoration. The Revival period heralded intensive work on public buildings and churches. Master carvers from Novo Selo (the present day town of Apriltsi) created iconostases, holy gates of altars and bishops` thrones of a number of churches and monasteries.

Metalwork is represented by blacksmithery, the production of axes, knives and scissors. The artisans' market in Troyan and Novo Selo, in particular produced vessels made by coppersmiths, which in its style has the characteristics of the Balkan Range art school, represented by works made in Tarnovo, Karlovq and Kazanlak. The armourers\\\' trade did not develop as a craft in the Troyan region. Separate workshops existed in Troyan, Novo Selo, Cherni Osum and Terziisko, where master armourers followed the traditions of firearms in the Balkan peninsula. Embroidered and decorated cloths served the needs of the home. The oldest of them was the kozjak (goat-hair woven rug), the halishte (heavy woolen rug) and other types of rug in natural colours - grey, white, brown. A motley carpet rug with typical red, green, black and yellow colours was very popular. The same colour combinations were also typical for the carpet-rug which differs in its decorative motive and weaving technique. Troyan kitenik weavers (a rug woven with knots) usually prefer a plant motif - garden flowers and vine leaves. Small-size cloths - pillows, linen and cotton kerchiefs with multi-colour decorations, hand-woven woolen cloths are an invaluable treasure created over the centuries on looms in Troyan.

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