Museums in the era of socialism. The best museum of socialism in Eastern Europe Museum address, opening hours
Hello comrades! :) How is your health? Today I propose to move into the past 50 years... or maybe more... and feel the spirit of real Socialism.
No, don’t think that I invented a time machine (although it appears more than once in this article), I just visited the Museum of Socialist Life in Kazan.
Back in the U.S.S.R…
Founder of the museum Rustem Valiakhmetov, the official opening took place in August 2011.
Ticket price to the Museum of Socialist Life:
— Adult 180 rub.
— Pensioners, schoolchildren, students — 100 rubles, preschoolers from 3 years old — 80 rubles.
As you know, not long ago I began to master the DSLR... there will be 79 photos in this article!
Perhaps it will even bring a tear to someone's eyes... ;)
Write in the comments if you liked the photos, I mean the quality of the photos!
The shooting conditions are, of course, not ideal, but Everything that doesn't kill us makes us stronger... although I assume that castrated cats do not agree with this expression...
Review of the Museum of Socialist Life in Kazan
A lengthy foreplay is only needed for your photos to load... everyone’s Internet is different, but here there are still 79 photos!
And now the review itself...
1. Entrance to the museum starts with a step... with a name and several objects cast in concrete.
2. The museum itself is located at the 2nd stage, but the exhibits start at the entrance and up the stairs.
3. Here you will be accompanied by various demotivators...
I must say that I got here “on the sly” with students (it seems like a cooperative) for 100 rubles. No one was particularly comfortable with face control.
There were about 10 students and they all went to the big room at once. By the way, about the rooms.
The museum is 1 large room, 1 small, above the small one there is a 2nd floor of the same size, and an entrance hall... "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame".
4. So we entered a large room... everyone’s eyes widened...
5. The girls immediately rushed to... well, where else? A girl's best friend is trying on heroooooooooof girls! :) And wigs! ;)
6. In general, they almost peed themselves from laughter! ;)
Well, I walked around the perimeter and took pictures of what caught my attention...
7. Vysotsky...
8. Speaking of the time machine... Jacket and jeans by Andrei Makarevich...
Wear jeans, Brothers!
9. A typewriter from Channel One... I saw one for the first time when I was 7 years old... I was very impressed!
10. I had a “Berezka”, which I killed while playing Dandy.. although maybe it wasn’t Dandy that killed him, but... how we played tanks.. who knows, he will understand me...
And even though the only thing he had in color was not the big tricolor on the front panel, those emotions were unforgettable!
11. My childhood friend had one... although the black one doesn't have a rear wheel, I'm sure it didn't bother its owner in any way..
12. In my childhood it was considered a cool game. As a rule, the eldest always won! Although you don’t need a lot of intelligence!
13. School uniform... woolen, in which the whole body itches! Write in the comments if I'm wrong!
14. A cool exhibit that characterizes the flexibility of the mind.. The “tunic” was made from pioneer ties in 1992.
15. Portrait of Lenin on the carpet.
16. Well, you could play this hockey for days. Of course, it sucked when some player didn’t work for you, but in general, it’s one of the popular board games.
17. Famous "Schoolboy"... I really had “Cross”!
18. I think a lot of people had these wretched watches! ;) Both adults and small ones wore it... One of my childhood friends set an alarm clock for 6 am, and this clock fell behind his bed, so hard to reach... then for a whole year he woke up like a spring lark.
19. Fashionable Crap sneakers! They really don't breathe well! ;)
20. And this fish once enraged me... I destroyed it with an ax and then burned it! ;D And such a robot is still guarding dust on my sister’s closet! The robot is cool, the fish is wow!
22. On this first round in the large hall was finished, and through these fashionable boots I was pulled into a small room...
23. ... where there were several interesting exhibits.. For example, machine guns and pistols, which every boy had. Not everyone fired bullets, so sometimes you had to prove whether you hit it in hand-to-hand combat or not!
25. It's compact here radio!
26. Some pioneer ties…
27. AND military uniform!
29. 2nd floor... a lot of glass cabinets, I can’t catch my eye on anything...
30. Tumblers...
31. Matryoshka dolls...
32. Beautiful banner...
33. “To the winner of the Socialist competition”...
34. And from the stairs there was a cool view of Rock 'n' Roll Hall glory... and I went there...
35. Here is a large collection of musical instruments of famous people... whose signature alone will take your breath away...
36. Scorpions, Roxette… By the way, the first word I read in English was “Scorpions” - my godfather had a lot of stickers of this group on the wall in his room... I was about 4 years old.
By the way, I am currently studying at an English language school - here is the ranking of the TOP 10 English schools in Kazan (the link will open in a new tab).
37. Favorite “Time Machine”…
38. Sex Pistols…
39. Pleased guitar "Aria"(first from the left).. noticed an exceptional feature?
40. By the way, there were not only musical instruments...
41. Vacuum cleaner… similar to a turbine... or an oxygen tank...
42. And next to him are the well-known mesh…
43. In general, together with Khalisa Fatikhovna, I went for the 2nd lap around the large hall... It’s not surprising that the first thing she talked about was pioneer ties…
45. In the same corner collection of jeans from famous musicians…
46. Shelf with cassette players...
47. Caps...
48. Badges… which, by the way, can be bought.
49. Jeans, which were presented by a diplomat from U.S.A.
50. And you could easily kill a couple of hours with these hares... I always thought that someday they would cut this carrot... but no!
51. Electronics… so many emotions... write in the comments which one you had, at least I’ll be happy for you! :)
52. Photo album of the museum...
53. Khalisa Fatikhovna shows how they sat on the desk...
54. Fashionable tarpaulin briefcase from the 30s-40s. I commented on the thickness of this briefcase... I say that - Judging by the thickness, this is a C student’s briefcase! To which she replied - No, there was simply nothing to wear at that time!
55. And by this time, apparently, “War and Peace” had already become available...
56. Khalisa Fatikhovna continues the excursion of the pioneer era... pioneer drum.
57. Pioneer horn..
58. Laws of the pioneers of the Soviet Union.
59. Kids 4D pintball…
60. Shelf with strong drinks...
61. Just below are children's toys...
62. And even lower - “Slightly impressionable doll”...
I asked Khalisa Fatikhovna - Did she scare naughty children?!...))
To which she unexpectedly replied: No, by the way, this is one of the children's favorite dolls!
63. Video cassette...
The Soviet Union undoubtedly made a colossal contribution to the development of humanity, but our museum does not tell the history of the Soviet era, but about everyday objects that became its symbols. For many, this is the world of memories, nostalgia, the world of youth and childhood. Here, fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers enjoy looking at the environment that was once familiar and the objects that surrounded us in Soviet times.
The USSR Museum is a unique place where everyone takes a trip to the not-so-distant but quickly forgotten 60s, 70s and 80s of the twentieth century. With the help of the exhibits, you can easily understand how the huge multinational country, which bore the proud name “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,” lived. Our museum is a place where the memories of people whose childhood and youth were spent in the land of the Soviets come to life, and a place where young visitors can see the recent past of the great country.
We invite everyone to take a tour of the bright past and wish a wonderful future!
The most important thing in the museum is your own emotions and memories associated with the Soviet era. What a person encounters here is already in your memory - we only help you remember.
For former citizens, the history of the USSR is not only the Cold War, total deficits and five-year plans. Those who lived in the USSR remember not only political history, but also the smallest details of ordinary life, because they were the same for everyone, not distinguished by diversity, but still associated with the happy years of childhood and youth. These include half-liter bottles of kefir, strict police stations, and pioneer camps, and daily viewing of the programs “Good night, kids” and “Time”, the pioneer oath and the famous covenant of Vladimir Lenin “Study, study and study.”
The theme “Soviet Union” is popular in modern Russia. Exhibitions and museums are opening in Moscow and many cities demonstrating life in Soviet times. Quite recently at ETNOMIR we had an exhibition “Territory of the USSR” with many exhibits in glass cases and shelves. But we decided to transform the exhibition into a living interactive museum, which will give the visitor the opportunity to immerse himself in the presented atmosphere - sit down at a school desk, leaf through old magazines and newspapers (most likely, you have already read them once!), look at a map of the USSR, listen to vinyl records , visit the apartment of an ordinary Soviet citizen.
The new exposition of the USSR Museum has already opened 3 halls:
- Apartment with furniture from the late 50s - early 60s
- School - recreated classroom from USSR times
- Pioneer corner with famous attributes of the era
In the near future we will decorate 2 more rooms:
- Soviet era dining room
- Hall “Achievements of the USSR”
Apartment
Remember all this? Modest furniture, a wall carpet, a radio, photographs of relatives next to photographs of the country's leadership, the newspaper "Pravda", the magazines "Peasant" and "Rabotnitsa", tarpaulin boots, aluminum spoons and forks, a plastic thermometer in the shape of the Kremlin Tower and many other items, of course found in every apartment of Soviet citizens. Look around, take pictures, leaf through magazines and books.
School
Part of the museum's exposition tells about the life of Soviet schoolchildren: here you will see school uniforms, attributes of the Octoberists and pioneer organizations, remember the commandments of the Octoberists - “Only those who love work are called Octoberists!”, “Octobers are truthful and brave, dexterous and skillful” and other.
We invite you into the atmosphere of the school, here you can take a photo with the banner, look at the photographs and remember your school childhood, sit down at your desk and even write a review in a lined school notebook with a fountain pen.
Pioneer Corner
Modern teenagers will be especially interested in seeing the authentic uniform of Soviet schoolchildren, the musical instruments of the pioneers - a drum and a bugle, banners with the covenants of Ilyich and, of course, a plaster bust of the Leader of the world proletariat, which once stood in every educational institution and every home.
And nearby, in the hall in front of the main exhibition of the museum, there is one of the most amazing objects - the legendary “Zaporozhets” produced in 1982. There are also stands with periodicals from the USSR era.
The USSR Museum is open daily 10:00-18:00.
Entrance to the museum for ETNOMIR visitors is free (no additional payment).
*Photography allowed
The Museum of Communism (Muzeum komunismu), located in Prague, is dedicated to the totalitarian regime that dominated Czechoslovakia from 1948-1989. The idea of creating the museum belonged to Glenn Speaker, a businessman from the USA, but many Czech museologists and historians took part in the creation process. The creators of the museum specially worked to reproduce the light, sound and even smells inherent in the era of totalitarianism. The museum's exhibitions are divided […]
Located in Prague, it is dedicated to the totalitarian regime that dominated Czechoslovakia from 1948-1989. The idea of creating a museum belongs to Glenn Speaker- a businessman from the USA, but many Czech museologists and historians took part in the creation process.
The creators of the museum specially worked to reproduce the light, sound and even smells inherent in the era of totalitarianism. The museum's exhibitions are divided into 3 thematic blocks. One of them - " dream of communism" - presented in the form of a school class with communist textbooks, the second - " nightmare" - creates a picture of the cruel realities of the regime, starting from empty store shelves and ending with torture rooms, the third block is dedicated to Velvet Revolution of 1989.
The museum itself is quite small; all its exhibitions are presented in only 4 halls. According to the creators, it is aimed not only at tourists who want to get acquainted with the life of socialist countries, but also at new generations of Czechs who need to know what their grandfathers and parents experienced. The organizers believe that the museum's exhibitions can help present a clearer picture of the events that took place in those years. Special teaching materials describing the museum's exhibitions have been prepared for Czech schoolchildren.
Na příkopě 852/10, 110 00 Praha-Nové Město (Palác Savarin) muzeumkomunismu.cz
Take metro A, B to stop Můstek
How can I save up to 20% on hotels?
It’s very simple - look not only on booking. I prefer the search engine RoomGuru. He searches for discounts simultaneously on Booking and on 70 other booking sites.
The Retro Museum of the Socialist Past, which is located in Varna, is truly a real pearl of the city and is still a relatively little-known place.
The museum is located on one of the floors of the Grand Mall Varna shopping center and at first, I confess, I was skeptical about the very bright information poster at the entrance. Tell me, what kind of museum can be created in the premises of an ordinary modern shopping and entertainment center? Bring an old Volga there, put up a bust of Lenin (or better yet Stalin) and Zhivkov, hang a couple of flags and communist badges on the wall. Voila, the museum of the “totalitarian” past is ready! My friends, how cruelly I was mistaken! This is an absolutely stunning, interesting, educational and non-politicized museum with many unique exhibits. The best of similar places in Eastern Europe, and maybe even in the world. The first role is played, of course, by cars, but in general there are a lot of interesting things there. Yes, Bulgarian themes prevail, the museum is in Varna, but the USSR also received a lot of attention.
The appearance of the main entrance, very solemn and pathetic, made me think about the seriousness of the museum. The cost of visiting is 10 levs (5 euros), which is a significant amount for Bulgaria. But since the museum is private, the owner (more about him below) does not receive any government support and created the museum with his own funds. So I think the price is completely fair and there are big discounts for children and pensioners. 
What he sees immediately causes real delight. Several dozen cars, hundreds of household appliances, toys, posters, collections of household items produced by the People's Republic of Belarus, the USSR and other countries of the socialist bloc. 
I stayed here for almost two hours and managed to examine the collection only superficially. 
The real pride of the museum is the luxuriously restored passenger cars of the socialist era. Notice how the organizers approached the design process with soul and creative imagination, placing a children's toy model nearby. 
Another advantage of the museum is the wax figures of socialist leaders created in the art studio of Madame Tussauds. It is a very expensive pleasure to order exhibits, each of which cost 20 thousand euros. The picture below shows Hungarian Secretary General Janos Kadar. 
In the very corner of the hall, a corner was also allocated for Gorbachev. So that the wax statue of the last president of the USSR would not be bored, he was equipped with a red Lada. 
Bottles of alcohol are located in a special display cabinet. 
Particular attention is paid to the cult Bulgarian film actors of their time. This is, for example, Velko Kanev. This name probably doesn’t mean anything to you, but in Bulgaria he is one of the popular actors of the 70s and 80s. By the way, old songs are constantly played in the hall, which gives a very unusual and even cozy atmosphere. And in the summer, when excursion groups from the former USSR are brought here, museum workers adjust and include Soviet songs: Pugachev, Vysotsky, Magomayev. Tsvetan, that’s the owner’s name, says people are delighted. 
He also says that visitors from Serbia are very upset when they do not see their idol Tito. They should wait a little, as it takes time to create each figure and optimize the exhibition space. The museum was opened just over a year ago and there are big plans ahead with serious work. 
But Russian tourists ask for Putin and this is not a joke. Indeed, there is an intention to create a wax figure of the current president of the Russian Federation. 
We move on and look at the impressively elegant and authentic Soviet four-wheeled vehicles. 
This car, for example, has a mileage of less than 1 thousand kilometers. 
Just like this red station wagon 2102, also almost brand new. 
Each car has information support in the form of a screen on which general details are indicated. Very comfortably. 
The owner has two hundred more cars in a special garage awaiting restoration. This is an expensive and troublesome task, and bringing a car to perfect museum condition can take years. 
Mechanical watches and alarm clocks. 
Bulgarian board games. 
Actor Kiril Gospodinov (although I could be wrong). Greatly reminiscent of Andrei Mironov in the image of Ostap Bender. And as my Bulgarian friends suggest, he is here in the guise of a roguish businessman from times of shortage. 
Toys... there are hundreds of them here. 
And here is Nikita Sergeevich, to whom as many as three “Cossacks” are attached. 
In my opinion, it turned out very well. Captured in his famous oratorical passage about “Kuzka’s mother.” 
A short biography and main milestones of activity are displayed on the screen nearby. Here, for example, is a description of Khrushchev’s political career. 
Iron Master Wojciech Jaruzelski. 
Together with the Polish car Warszawa. Still, the unique work was carried out by restorers, auto mechanics, artists and simply enthusiasts. 
Wax figure of Yuri Nikulin in the image of the hapless economist Semyon Semyonich. 
One of the iconic representative “Seagulls”, previously assigned to the special fleet of the Bulgarian party elite. In the future - comrades Zhivkov and Brezhnev. 
Joseph Vissarionovich... modestly and without a car. 
Gustav Husak, the last president of socialist Czechoslovakia. There are a lot of wax figures in the museum, Lenin, Mao, Ceausescu are present, I chose only a few photos for the story. 
An impressive “Czech” corner. 
UAZ in the background of photographs with the Bulgarian military. 
Again toys, books, computers... You can look at each exhibit separately for a long time. 
A stunning collection of televisions and radios. It's incredible how you can gather so much technology in one place. But the history of the creation of the museum began not so long ago, in 2004, with a modest VAZ 2101 car. 
I decided to take some black and white photos :) 
An impressive collection of Bulgarian perfumes and personal hygiene items. There's even a condom from the 70s in this cabinet. 
Experienced smokers, do you recognize any brand of cigarettes? I think I've heard about Opal. 
And in my opinion, I even tried the legendary TU-134 in a soft pack when I was a mustacheless youth. 
The collection of cigarettes is simply incomparable. 
Even matches are available in souvenir packages. How thoughtful, informative and spectacular everything is here. 
I'm very impressed. Great idea, unique exhibits, amazing details, room decoration. A politically neutral museum with a nostalgic and mega-rich collection that my story can in no way cover. We must go and look. I spent a little less than two hours in the museum, but even this time was not enough for a complete inspection. 
In the office of the museum owner. I’m not surprised to see a portrait of Stalin here as a kind of creative touch, and it looks impressive and in keeping with the theme of the museum. 
Now get acquainted. The owner and owner is Tsvetan Atanasov, you can absolutely calmly go into his office (which is what I did) and chat. He will tell, show and answer questions. A very open and pleasant person to communicate with, he really lives what he loves and has achieved excellent results. The museum has a page on Facebook (though in Bulgarian), so come in, mark it for yourself and visit if possible. 
Each new government wants to leave an indelible mark on the history of the state. The October Revolution of 1917 changed a lot in the development of Russia. Two years after the political revolution in Petrograd, a museum dedicated to this event was opened. The opening took place symbolically in the Winter Palace. The museum was named the October Revolution, now it is the Museum of Political History.
Museum address, opening hours
The museum is located on Kuibysheva Street, 2-4. Getting to it is quite easy; it is located near the Gorkovskaya metro station. You can get there from the Petrogradskaya station by minibuses No. 46, No. 76; from the Finlyandsky Station by minibuses No. 30, No. 183 or bus 49; from "Sportivnaya" on minibus No. 183.
If you have arrived on an excursion tour to St. Petersburg, you can visit the Museum of Political History at a convenient time: daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the ticket office is open until five p.m. On Wednesday it is open until 20:00 cash desk opening hours - from 10:00 to 19:00.
History of the museum's creation
Museum of Political History of Russia (formerly - exists since October 9, 1919. Initially it was located in the Winter Palace on the second floor. Famous historical figures, cultural and scientific figures participated in its creation: A.V. Lunacharsky, Maxim Gorky, Academician Oldenburg, populists Novorussky, Figner, Morozov. The goal of the museum's creators was to convey to the people the development of world revolutionary movements. Over the first ten years, collections were formed that told about the class struggle in Russia (starting with the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev and before the construction of socialism in the state), in the West ( from the French to the Communist International).
The first visitors entered here on January 11, 1920. Over the course of many decades, the Museum of Political History of St. Petersburg has repeatedly changed its scientific concept, and, accordingly, its name. The Museum of the Great October Socialist Revolution was renamed in a timely and politically correct manner. Since 1991 it has been known as the State Museum of Political History.
Moving to Kuibysheva Street
In the mid-twentieth century, namely in 1957, the museum was moved to Kuibyshevskaya Street. For his needs, two mansions are allocated, previously owned by the brilliant prima ballerina and large timber merchant Brant.
It was built according to the design of the famous architect Gauguin in 1904-1906. During the 1917 revolution, the ballerina's house was turned into the Bolshevik headquarters. The Central Committee of the Party, the soldiers' club "Pravda" and the military committee are located here. From the balcony of the mansion, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, Zinoviev, Trotsky and many other speakers addressed the people. Currently, the Museum of Political History presents to the attention of visitors the work room of V. I. Lenin. The second mansion (of Baron Brant) is listed among the architectural monuments of the city. It was built in 1909, designed by the architect Meltzer.
In 1955-57, according to the idea of the architect Nadezhin, these two mansions were combined into one complex. The Museum of the Great October Socialist Revolution is located here. On November 5, 1957, it opened in a new location. In 1972, it began to exist under the authority of the Ministry of Culture and was listed as a branch of the Central Museum of the USSR Revolution.
New concepts
The administration and scientific team of the museum in the late 70s of the twentieth century began to develop a fundamentally new concept for the exhibition. Then a new project for the reconstruction of all exhibitions was born. It was planned to recreate the newest museum complex in three stages. The first exhibition opened in 1987. In 1989, due to political events that took place in Russia, subsequent opening stages were suspended. The plans for new exhibitions no longer corresponded to temporary realities. It was decided to develop new concepts for the exhibition, educational, and scientific activities of the museum.
Renaming the museum
In 1991, the Ministry of Culture in the USSR decided to rename the Museum of the Revolution into the Museum of Political History of Russia. It was given state status. in the 90s it also affected museum workers. To maintain your independence and stay afloat, you had to be different. Workers began to organize interesting exhibitions; they covered interesting events that had not previously been discussed. Now the Museum of Political History of St. Petersburg exhibits the economic, political and social life of Russian society from the 19th to the 21st centuries.
Modern exhibitions
The end of the twentieth century was very vague in the political sense; now, when life flows smoothly and has returned to its usual course, the Museum of Political History of Russia constantly delights visitors with interesting exhibitions.
The exhibition covers various historical events, from the Decembrist uprising to the beginning of the twentieth century, talks about the reign of Catherine II, the reforms of Alexander II and Minister Witte, and the coronations of Russian emperors. The Museum of Political History also presents new modern collections, created “hot on the heels”. At one time, materials came from Afghanistan, Abkhazia, and Chechnya.
The State Museum of Political History of Russia is unique, the only one in St. Petersburg, which reflects the turning points in the development of the Russian state, events in public life, the work of political figures, parties, and government bodies. The museum collection includes more than four hundred thousand different exhibits; materials are constantly updated in accordance with current issues and events in society. Excursions to the history museum are of great benefit and interest for high school students.
Museum of the History of Political Police
The branch of the Museum of Political History is located on the corner of Admiralteysky Prospekt and Gorokhovaya Street, 2. Open daily (except Saturday and Sunday) from 10 am to 6 pm. You can order excursions by calling: 312-27-42.
There is an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Russian political police. The museum building once belonged to the City Administration of St. Petersburg. Since 1875, the so-called “Okhranka” (Department for the Protection of Public Security) was located here. Later on this place there were: the gendarmerie department, the metropolitan police. After the revolution of 1917, it was at this address that the famous Cheka (Extraordinary Commission for Combating Sabotage and Counter-Revolutionaries) was located. Until 1932, the OGPU was also located here.
Museum expositions
The exhibition presents a recreated office of the chief of police (late 19th - early 20th centuries). Famous personalities worked there: Sudeikin, Pyramidov, Sekerinsky. In 1917, the famous “Iron Felix”, the chairman of the Cheka, Dzerzhinsky, took over the baton. Such figures as Rysakov, Lenin, Emelyanov, Verkhovskoy, Kokovtsev, Blok and many others were interrogated in this office at different times.
The Museum of Political History (a branch of the history of the police) in its exhibitions presents a rich portrait gallery of the leaders of political investigation from 1826 to 1917, original documents, photographs and diaries of spies, secret service reports, photos of witnesses and provocateurs, documents and leaflets from the time prisoners wrote letters and much more. . The collection is supplemented by materials from the archives of the KGB and FSB.
The political revolution in Russia in the 90s allowed us to look at many things in a new way. For the first time, it was here that documents, photographs, and personal belongings of ordinary employees and leaders of the KGB, Cheka, and FSB were made public. In total there are more than two hundred exhibits. Here you can see video reports: the fight against the CIA at the end of the 20th century, the battle in the FSB office with Chechen militants (Grozny).
